Breeding Neolamprologus sexfasciatus (Six-Bar Cichlid)

Breeding the Six-Bar Cichlid (Neolamprologus sexfasciatus): a bi-parental cave spawner that excavates caves and is very aggressive toward conspecifics.

Overview

Neolamprologus sexfasciatus, the Six-Bar Cichlid, is a stout Lamprologine from Lake Tanganyika reaching about 15 cm. Several geographical morphs exist, including 'Sambia' and 'Kipili', varying in base colour from blue to yellow to white. It is a bi-parental cave spawner that Seriously Fish describes as aggressive, territorial and predatory.

Sexing

Determining sex is challenging; adult males tend to grow larger than females. Visual sexing is unreliable, so pairs are best obtained from a group grown on together.

Conditioning

Maintain hard, alkaline water; Seriously Fish recommends a pH of 8.2-9.0 and a temperature of about 25-27 C (77-80 F) for breeding. A varied carnivorous diet brings adults into spawning condition.

Breeding Setup

Use a tank of at least 120 cm (48 in) in length with sand and rockwork. The pair excavates caves themselves, so loose rock arrangements over sand support natural cave construction.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

The pair excavates a cave and the female lays her eggs on the floor of it. Best results come from buying a group of young fish and allowing them to pair off naturally, which may take a year or more; once a pair forms, other individuals must be removed because they are not tolerated.

Egg & Fry Care

The female tends the eggs while the male guards the surrounding area. Female brood care lasts about 2-3 weeks, at which point the male takes over. Fry are large enough to take brine shrimp nauplii from birth.

Common Challenges

Strong conspecific aggression makes pairing the principal difficulty; subdominant fish and even an unbonded partner can be killed. A large tank with abundant cover and naturally formed pairs are the safest route to broods.