(Article) Julidochromis marlieri

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I was given permission to post this so hope you find it interesting

Julidochromis marlieri

by Dave Schumacher

photo by Dave Schumacher

The genus Julidochromis is comprised of 5 described species: J. dickfeldi, J. ornatus, J. marlieri, J. regani, and J. transcriptus. All are endemic to Lake Tanganyika, and all are very popular aquarium fish.

Julidochromis marlieri was officially described by Max Poll in 1956. They are considered to be one of the larger species of Julidochromis, with females sometimes attaining lengths of greater than six inches. Unlike the majority of cichlid species (including the other Julidochromis with the exception of J. regani), females are the larger sex in J. marlieri. Males typically remain an inch or two smaller.

There is some debate surrounding the appropriate species name for the variants from Gombi and Katoto. Some hobbyists believe them to be J. transcriptus because of their much smaller adult size of three to four inches. In his current books, Ad Konings refers to both as smaller variants of J. marlieri. The female is the larger sex in both variants, which is a trait not seen in any other transcriptus variant.

Julidochromis marlieri has a lake-wide distribution, but is reported to be concentrated in the northernmost and southernmost parts of the lake. The most well known variant is from Magara on the northeast coast, and is often sold as the Burundi marlieri. They have a black and white checkerboard pattern with yellowish pectoral fins. The population at Karilani is similar to the Magara variant, but has a yellowish-orange tint in place of the white. The dwarf variants from Katoto and Gombi share the same black and white coloration seen in the Magara population, but have different patterns. The Katoto population has a "scribbled" pattern, while the Gombi marlieri has strong vertical bars with little or no horizontal striping.

In the wild, Julidochromis marlieri is found in the relatively shallow rocky zone. They are omnivorous, but seem to prefer small crustaceans picked from the algae beds. In the aquarium, they will eat any prepared foods without hesitation. Hard, alkaline water is preferred.

Spawning J. marlieri is fairly simple once a pair bond has formed. Getting a compatible pair is the harder part. Probably the easiest way is to start out with a group of 5-6 juveniles and let them pair off on their own. A bonded pair is easily recognized. Just look for two fish that tolerate each other! All other conspecifics will be chased away. It is best to allow the pair to spawn at least once in a community setting, because the pair bond is strengthened by the joint effort of defending against other fish. After a spawn or two, even a full grown pair could be comfortably housed in a ten gallon tank. Fry grow slowly, but do well on a diet of powdered flakes and baby brine shrimp or cyclops. Julidochromis are excellent parents when raising young, but the fry will be chased away from the spawning site when the pair is ready to breed again.

Julidochromis marlieri isn't just for those interested in breeding. They also make a great addition to most African cichlid community tanks. In a Malawi and/or Victoria tank, they offer a different look to the typical Haplochromine body shape. For the most part, they ignore each other and coexist peacefully.

Julidochromis marlieri can be enjoyed by beginners and seasoned aquarists alike. They are one of the easier Tanganyikan species to maintain and breed. If you have never kept this fish before, give it a try. You won't be disappointed.

[Sam Chicklets]

Excellent article our librarian should post it in the profiles

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I get one or two articles each week....soon as i can clear permision for the others i will post them :beer: