Dhont's Telmatochromis (Telmatochromis dhonti) Care Guide

Slender bottom-dwelling Lamprologine reaching 12 cm with subtle vertical bars. Pair-bonding cave spawner; peaceful for its size and a good partner for Cyprichromis or shellies.

Overview

Telmatochromis dhonti is a species in the family Cichlidae. Slender bottom-dwelling Lamprologine reaching 12 cm with subtle vertical bars. Pair-bonding cave spawner; peaceful for its size and a good partner for Cyprichromis or shellies.

Taxonomy

Family: Cichlidae
Genus: Telmatochromis
Scientific name: Telmatochromis dhonti
Origin: Africa, Lake Tanganyika

Habitat

Endemic to Lake Tanganyika, inhabiting rocky shorelines. A robust cichlid that shelters and breeds in rock crevices; larger and stockier than its shell-dwelling congeners. A substrate-spawning cichlid that forms territorial pairs.

Tank requirements

Minimum tank volume: 200 L
Temperature: 24-27 °C
pH: 8.5-9.2
GH: 12-25 °dGH
Adult size: 10-13 cm
Lifespan: 5-8 years
Difficulty: intermediate

Diet

Classified as carnivore. Recommended feeding frequency: 2x daily. In captivity, offer a varied diet appropriate to the species — quality prepared foods supplemented with frozen or live items of suitable size.

Compatibility

Temperament: peaceful
Swimming level: bottom
Compatible tank mates: Cyprichromis, Julidochromis, Other shellies, Synodontis petricola, Cyphotilapia
Avoid with: Mbuna, Tropheus, Aggressive haps

Breeding

Breeding strategy: cave-spawner
Breeding difficulty: intermediate