Altolamprologus compressiceps is a predatory cichlid from Lake Tanganyika with a unique high and compressed body. Itrequires a rocky landscape and careful consideration of tank mates.
Overview
Altolamprologus compressiceps is another amazing predator from the rocky biotopes of Lake Tanganyika. Its name accurately describes its main feature - an extremely high and laterally compressed body. This shape allows it to penetrate the narrowest rock crevices to hunt for invertebrates and fish fry. Unlike its close relative, A. calvus, the compressiceps has a shorter and blunter snout. The coloration is variable and depends on the location of capture, including popular morphs like "Gold Head" and "Red Fin."
Tank Requirements
To keep a pair of A. compressiceps, an aquarium of at least 40 gallons (150 liters) with plenty of rock structures is necessary. It is important to create a complex landscape with many caves, grottos, and, most importantly, vertical and horizontal crevices that are only slightly wider than the fish's body. The substrate should be fine sand. As with A. calvus, plants do not play a significant role.
Water parameters must be stable and meet the standards of Lake Tanganyika: temperature 24-27°C (75-81°F), pH 7.8-9.0, hardness 10-20 dGH. High-quality filtration, good aeration, and weekly water changes of 20-30% are mandatory.
Feeding and Diet
As a predator, A. compressiceps in an aquarium needs a protein-rich diet. The basis should be frozen and live foods: large brine shrimp, krill, mysis, and small shrimp. Over time, many individuals can be accustomed to high-quality sinking pellets for carnivorous cichlids. It is important not to overfeed and to avoid foods based on the meat of warm-blooded animals.
Care and Maintenance
A. compressiceps is a slow-moving and rather shy fish that spends most of its time exploring shelters. They should not be kept with aggressive and fussy fish. Due to their unusual body shape, they are poor swimmers in open water and lose in competition for food to faster species. The key to successful keeping is creating a suitable landscape and selecting the right tank mates.
Compatibility
Compressiceps are territorial, but their aggression is mainly directed at their own kind. It is best to keep them as a pair in a species tank. Suitable tank mates include small and non-aggressive Tanganyikan cichlids that occupy other ecological niches. Good neighbors can be shell dwellers (Lamprologus similis, Neolamprologus multifasciatus), as well as some species of Julidochromis and Neolamprologus. Any fish that can fit into the mouth of a compressiceps will be eaten.
Breeding
Breeding is similar to A. calvus but has its own peculiarities. Spawning occurs in very narrow shelters where the male cannot follow the female. The fertilization of the eggs occurs remotely: the male releases milt at the entrance to the shelter, and the female, by waving her fins, creates a current of water that carries it to the eggs. The female alone cares for the clutch and the fry. The number of eggs usually does not exceed 100-150. The fry are very small and grow extremely slowly. The starting food is baby brine shrimp. In an aquarium with parents, the survival of the fry is possible only with a large number of tiny shelters.