Compatibility:

Best kept in a biotype tank with other medium-sized Lake Tanganyika Cichlids; should be kept singly or in mated pairs.

Convict Julie

Endemic to Lake Tanganyika, the Convict Julie is sometimes called the Striped Julie, the Giant Julie or simply the Regani. These fish have slender, elongated bodies that vary in coloration from pale to golden yellow. Most specimens exhibit several thick black stripes running horizontally along the length of the body and on the forehead - these stripes are how this species earned its name Convict Julie. These fish have elongated dorsal fins and slightly rounded caudal fins, both of which are often edged in white while the pectoral fins are yellow.

Tank Set-up

Convict Julies are fairly peaceful and can sometimes be kept in community tanks with other Lake Tanganyika Cichlids of similar size. They can become mildly aggressive and territorial so provide them with plenty of places to call their own. These fish prefer fine gravel or sandy substrate and the tank should be decorated with plenty of rocks, caves and live plants. Like many Lake Tanganyika Cichlids, these fish cannot tolerate significant changes in water chemistry so avoid performing any large water changes.

Feeding

In the wild, Convict Julies are omnivores, feeding on crustaceans, algae and other organisms. In the home aquarium, these fish are likely to accept a variety of live, frozen and dried foods. Offer Convict Julies a staple diet of high-quality Cichlid flakes or pellets supplemented with live and frozen brine shrimp, Daphnia and bloodworms. For optimum health and coloration feed a varied diet on a regular basis.

Breeding

Like many Julies, Convict Julies are cave spawners and they have been successfully bred in captivity. The breeding tank should be decorated with plenty of rockwork to provide caves as spawning sites. The average brood size of this species is 35 to 100 eggs and the female will deposit these eggs somewhere in a cave for the male to fertilize. The eggs typically hatch within 3 days and the parents often tend to the fry for some time after hatching. Newly hatched Convict Julies can be fed brine shrimp nauplii.