Home » African Cichlids » Other African Cichlids » Julidichromis - where are they?
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| Re: Julidichromis - where are they? [message #5166] |
Sat, 24 February 2007 21:40  |
 PIREP.org 
Messages: 3
Registered: February 2007
Location: Osaka, Japan |
Junior Member |
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Easy to keep, Julidichromis don't seem too fussy about the water conditions, in my opinion.
I kept a pair in a community tank in Brisbane, Australia - which probably has the worst water for any aquarists...it's hard, and is highly alkaline, as well as being heavily treated with chlorine - and also have a 2' aquarium dedicated to them here in Osaka, Japan, which has great water.
In both cases however, the fish have thrived, and bred continuously.
Julies, like most Africans, need rocks (or flower pots) to hide in. I have chosen long, flat, river stones, layered on top of each other, with some Java Fern.
They like to stay motionless floating just above, or upside down underneath the rocks, usually darting in short, sporadic dashes when they do move.
Mated pairs will excavate the gravel underneath their chosen spawning site, however I have never been able to determine whether the eggs are laid on the rock, or on the floor of the aquarium.
Unlike other cichlids, Julidichromis won't renovate your entire aquarium landscape.
Fry are extremely tiny, and to observe whether a pair have spawned, you will need to sit patiently and very still, waiting for one of the babies to come out of the "lair".
My guess is that only one or perhaps 2 eggs are laid at each spawning, however I suspect that they probably spawn every few days, once they have settled in, and are happy with their surroundings.
Both parents are very protective of their fry, and fish that don't succeed in staking out their own territory early in the peace, generally end up at the top of the tank, hiding near heater cords, or aeration tubing for cover.
In these cases, it's better to remove these fish, as they will eventually be picked to death by the other fish.
This is one reason why you need to provide plenty of rocks and prospective caves for several Julidichromis, when you introduce them to your tank.
The various species will interbreed, ie, J.marlieri will cross with J. dickfeldi, or J.reganii etc, so to maintain a true species patterns, don't intermix.
On the subject of filtration, because of Julidichromis' penchant for caves, power head filters aren't really advisable, as the outlet looks inviting to a curious Julie when the filter is turned off.
I had the unfortunate experience of unknowingly chopping one up one time, when I switched my filters back on after feeding, and saw the latter half of a Julie squirted out.
They aren't fussy feeders, but I have noticed they don't particularly like frozen food once it settles on the floor of the aquaruium. While it's floating, and pieces are dropping off, they'll happily eat it though.
They do well on ordinary flake food.
In a community tank, they'll keep to themselves, when provided with somewhere to hide.
Basically black and white colouration, some species - such as J. marlieri and regani - have electric blue along their fins, and patches of yellow/orange on their bellies.
Look forward to the addition of some photos to your already excellent gallery.
Charlie Rich.
[Updated on: Sat, 24 February 2007 21:42]
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