 Lethrinops
intermedius is a Lake Malawi cichlid. Its body style closely
resembles that of the Aulonacaras, which are more popular
in today’s hobby. Its behavioral habits also mimic that of
the Aulonacara. I purchased seven 1-inch fry at the American
Cichlid Association 2000 Convention in Cleveland, Ohio. They were
taken home and housed in a ten-gallon tank with plenty of hiding
places. I estimate the fry to have been about 2-3 months old. The
cohabitants were four Synodontis petricola, also approximately
1 inch in length. They were fed a basic flake food that I was using
to feed my other community tanks. They were fed twice a day, once
about noon and again about 11 P.M. Every weekend, a 50% water change
was performed along with a good gravel cleansing. I used a glass
hood and the light was provided by a 24-inch strip light, which
was used to light several other tanks at once. They were kept in
this tank for about 7 months. In January of this year, they were
moved into a 20-gallon high, along with the Synodontis petricolas.
A pile of randomly placed 4-inch clay pots cut in half symmetrically
was put in the bottom of the tank. A gravel bed about 1-inch thick,
sponge filter, miscellaneous floating plants, and a glass lid were
also provided. The lighting was now provided by two 48-inch strip
lights used to light several tanks at once.
The fish were now 2 1/2- 3 inches long. The Lethrinops
were now beginning to show their sexual dimorphism. The males are
larger and their dorsal fins are crested with a band of red on top
of a band of white. The males were also showing their adult coloration
of metallic green with red striations in all of their fins with
large yellow egg spots on the anal fin. Both the males and females
have 3 black spots along their flanks. The females remained a light
tan with a crest of red only on their dorsal. The feeding regiment
was now changed to live blackworms or frozen bloodworms at noon
and flake or Hikari cichlid pellets at 11 P.M. Their steady growth
continued with this new feeding and housing change.
By February the largest
female was holding. After one week, she had swallowed the eggs.
From this day it took approximately 3 weeks for her to produce a
new batch of eggs. She was closely observed and after going ten
days, she was removed and placed in a 5-gallon tank. She was given
a sponge filter, one half of a 4-inch clay pot and a baseball sized
clump of Java moss as well as five gallons of water from the spawning
tank. From spawn to spit was 21 days at 74 degrees Fahrenheit and
a pH of 7.4.
The fry were 3/8 inches
long, brown with three black dots along their flanks. They were
left in the five-gallon tank and the female was placed back in the
spawning tank three days after she spit. The first week they were
fed microworms in heavy concentrations once a day. The second week
live baby brine was added as a second feeding. Week three, microworms
were removed from their diets and Golden Pearls was added as their
nightly feeding.
In May the group was moved into a 20-gallon long tank with all of
the same gravel, pots and plants as well as the Synodontis petricola.
Every two weeks, a female had to be pulled from the main tank because
she was holding eggs. Each time a female was pulled, she was placed
in a five-gallon tank with all the same fixings as was used in the
first instance. I have noticed that the dominant male, during his
courting of the female, turns a solid deep metallic green. He loses
his black spots and his fins turn almost blood red. It is very impressive.
The dominant male would also dig many pits around the tank; they
were quite noticeable and within a couple of days there would be
a female holding eggs. As of mid June the group was moved into an
African cichlid “party tank,” as I like to call it,
in hopes that it would slow their spawning down. So far, there have
been no new spawns.
If you enjoy Malawian cichlids, this one is a real beauty. Lethrinops
intermedius will attain 6-8 inches
in length and is not afraid of showing off all of its strengths.
It does not seem overly aggressive, being that the males of this
group are now approaching 5 inches in length and had not harmed
any of the two-inch Synodontis petricola. Their rarity
and beauty was well worth the money spent to obtain this Malawian
gem.
Photo by Wally Cox |
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