By Rick Nemeth, MAS

One of the most interesting cichlids that I have had the pleasure to keep and breed is the Enantiopus sp. "Melongenys" from Lake Tanganyika. They are one of the most beautiful of the sand-dwellers.

The trio was housed in a 30-gallon breeder tank. A large floor space is needed for these fish. In the lake, E. Melongenys seek out shallow areas for their spawning grounds, for this reason they seem quite at home in a fairly shallow tank. A large sponge filter was used. The tank’s water temperature is maintained at around 82 degrees. The ph level is 7.4. Weekly water changes seem to do nicely for the Melongenys. After each water change, the male becomes "super-charged" with color. The head is black and the body becomes an unbelievable neon blue color. Tank furnishings are very simple. Sand is used for the bottom of the tank. I prefer sand that is soft and free of rough edges. They love to play with the sand. They love to eat and a lot of food is needed. They are fed flake food, and live and frozen brine shrimp.

Breeding males create a nest with many 1" tall sand turrets around the perimeter of the depression. The male circles the inner margin of his "sand castle" with all fins fully erect and his throat flared. When a female approaches the male stops swimming, quivers violently, trying to bring the female into the nest. That is when spawning takes place. It takes about 14 days for the young to become fully developed. I take the young on the ninth or tenth day. I take some water taken from the aquarium that houses the parents, which I think is important, and put it in a nursery cup. I provide enough aeration to discourage fungus from settling on the fry. As soon as the fry are free of the yolk sac I put them in a large grow-out tank.

Like all Tanganyika fish that I am acquainted with, Melongeny fry can eat brine shrimp nauplii from the earliest age. For the first few days when they are free of the yolk sacs they tend to stay motionless on the sand, willing to nab a brine shrimp nauplin only when it comes close. In about a week they become much more active in pursuing their food.

E. Melongenys is a very gentle cichlid. Males never harass the females. Males may spar with one another but they never do damage to each other. Melongenys is one the most enjoyable cichlid to watch and breed from Lake Tanganyika.