Tropheops sp. Gome Yellow

Tropheops sp. Gome Yellow

Tropheops sp. Gome Yellow is an a yet undescribed species.

Description

In the wild, Tropheops sp. Gome Yellow can reach a total length of up to 12 centimetres. In the aquarium, it can grow a bit bigger because they get more and more powerful food. The males then grow to a maximum of 14 centimetres. The females usually stay a bit smaller.

Males are yellow in colour. The dorsal fin has a black band with a thin blue iridescent stripe above and below. The edge of the pectoral fins is trimmed with a blue border with a black line. The females are somewhat more variable in colour. Depending on the location they are beige to yellow as in the variant found at Gome.

Origin

The distribution area ranges from N’Kolongwe down to Makanjila in Mozambique on the east coast of Lake Malawi.

Diet

With their specialized teeth, Tropheops sp. Gome Yellow combs through the algae strands (aufwuchs). By combing the aufwuchs, they mainly feed on vegetable algae particles with very occasionally some small invertebrates.

In the aquarium, you can feed them flake food, brine shrimp, Mysis. Vegetable foods such as spirulina flakes should not be missing from their diet.

The Aquarium

It is best to keep this species in a harem consisting of one male with two or three females. The males can be quite fierce towards conspecifics. An aquarium from 150 centimetres is recommended.

Set up the aquarium with (filter) sand on the bottom. Provide enough rocks with cracks, crevices and holes in between. By using a little more lighting you can get some algae growth on the rocks. Tropheops sp. Gome Yellow will be happy to pick in the aufwuchs there.

Breeding Tropheops sp. Gome Yellow

Breeding Tropheops sp. Gome Yellow is quite simple. The eggs are incubated by the female in her mouth. After a few days, the eggs hatch but remain in the female’s mouth for quite some time. After about three weeks, the female spits out the fry. After this, they have to take care of themselves.

Video

Copyright images

Pete Barnes
Mark Thomas – Marks Fiskenarie