Striped Telmatochromis (Telmatochromis vittatus) Care Guide

Slim Lamprologine with two horizontal stripes from snout to tail. Cave/crevice spawner reaching 8 cm. Peaceful enough for community Tanganyika setups; pairs form strong bonds.

Overview

Telmatochromis vittatus is a species in the family Cichlidae. Slim Lamprologine with two horizontal stripes from snout to tail. Cave/crevice spawner reaching 8 cm. Peaceful enough for community Tanganyika setups; pairs form strong bonds.

Taxonomy

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

Habitat

Endemic to Lake Tanganyika, inhabiting rocky shorelines and shell beds. An elongated cichlid marked with horizontal stripes that shelters and breeds in rock crevices and empty snail shells. A substrate-spawning cichlid that forms pairs.

Tank requirements

Minimum tank volume: 100 L
Temperature: 24-27 °C
pH: 8.5-9.2
GH: 12-25 °dGH
Adult size: 7-9 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
Avoid with: Mbuna, Tropheus, Aggressive haps

Breeding

Breeding strategy: cave-spawner