Neochromis sp. 'Entebbe' - Part 2
Neochromis sp. 'Entebbe' [/TD]
by Don Greg Steeves (Gas)
Page 1 | 2 | 3
To say these fish are active would be a colossal understatement. They never stop moving and usually crowd together breaking the surface of the water in anticipation of feeding as soon as they see us. They are fed a diet of basic flake, pellets and algae wafers. Food choice does not seem to be much of a problem as everything offered has been greedily accepted. The group is housed in a species-only 55 gallon aquarium filtered by two large dirt magnet type sponges. This, coupled with frequent water changes has worked well thus far.
![Organism Fish Fin Marine biology Wildlife]()
Tank décor consists of several large rocks stood up towards the back of the tank. In our experience, Neochromis sp. 'Entebbe' does not require or use rockwork made into caves. They prefer more open water close to rocks and spend the biggest part of their time grazing the rocks and substrate for anything edible. We use fine grain light colored sand in their aquarium. We had added several large Anubias to give their surroundings more color but these were promptly destroyed with the leaves being eaten right to the stem. N. sp. 'Entebbe' seem be able to design their aquarium to their specifications so weve just gone with this. This must be to their liking because they are comfortable enough to spawn frequently and look very healthy.
![Terrestrial animal Toad Amphibian Wildlife Soil]()
Neochromis sp. 'Entebbe' spawns in a typical manner comparable to most other Lake Victoria haplochromines. The male may dig a very small depression at the base of an object and use this as a focal point to lure a gravid female. The two will circle each other, she will drop an egg or two, quickly turn to pick them up and then nibble the egg dummies (ocelli) on the males anal fin. It is at this time that the milt is released and fertilization takes place. The female will hold her brood for around 14 days, however this may go longer in cooler temperatures and more quickly in warmer weather. The average would be at around 80F. We have gotten several broods in excess of 40 fry but more normally, one can expect between 25-35 larvae out of an adult female.
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by Don Greg Steeves (Gas)
Page 1 | 2 | 3
To say these fish are active would be a colossal understatement. They never stop moving and usually crowd together breaking the surface of the water in anticipation of feeding as soon as they see us. They are fed a diet of basic flake, pellets and algae wafers. Food choice does not seem to be much of a problem as everything offered has been greedily accepted. The group is housed in a species-only 55 gallon aquarium filtered by two large dirt magnet type sponges. This, coupled with frequent water changes has worked well thus far.
Tank décor consists of several large rocks stood up towards the back of the tank. In our experience, Neochromis sp. 'Entebbe' does not require or use rockwork made into caves. They prefer more open water close to rocks and spend the biggest part of their time grazing the rocks and substrate for anything edible. We use fine grain light colored sand in their aquarium. We had added several large Anubias to give their surroundings more color but these were promptly destroyed with the leaves being eaten right to the stem. N. sp. 'Entebbe' seem be able to design their aquarium to their specifications so weve just gone with this. This must be to their liking because they are comfortable enough to spawn frequently and look very healthy.
Neochromis sp. 'Entebbe' spawns in a typical manner comparable to most other Lake Victoria haplochromines. The male may dig a very small depression at the base of an object and use this as a focal point to lure a gravid female. The two will circle each other, she will drop an egg or two, quickly turn to pick them up and then nibble the egg dummies (ocelli) on the males anal fin. It is at this time that the milt is released and fertilization takes place. The female will hold her brood for around 14 days, however this may go longer in cooler temperatures and more quickly in warmer weather. The average would be at around 80F. We have gotten several broods in excess of 40 fry but more normally, one can expect between 25-35 larvae out of an adult female.
Continue to next page »
