Neolamprologus pulcher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Neolamprologus pulcher |
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The daffodil cichlid (scientific name: Neolamprologus pulcher) is a type of cichlid fish. It lives only in Lake Tanganyika in Africa. These fish like places with lots of sand and rocks. People also call them the fairy cichlid, princess of Zambia, or lyretail cichlid. Daffodil cichlids can grow up to about 10 centimeters (4 inches) long. You can often find them in aquariums too!
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About the Daffodil Cichlid
For a long time, people thought that N. pulcher and N. brichardi were two different types of fish. But now, scientists believe they are the same species. The main difference is that N. brichardi has a black stripe near its eye and a yellow spot above it, which N. pulcher does not. Since Neolamprologus pulcher was named first, it is the official scientific name for this fish. The daffodil cichlid was once known as N. brichardi. It was named after Pierre Brichard, a Belgian who started a fish collection center in 1971 called "Fishes of Burundi."
Where They Live and What They Like
Daffodil cichlids live only in Lake Tanganyika in Africa. They are common in the southern part of the lake. You can find them along the rocky shores of countries like Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia. There are many different kinds of daffodil cichlids depending on where they live. The "daffodil" type, which is very popular, lives on the steep rocky slopes of Kantalamba and Kambwinba.
These cichlids are very adaptable and can live in many different places. They are found near the surface and in very deep water. All daffodil cichlids lay their eggs on the bottom, often in caves. Their bodies can be long and slender. They come in colors like brown, yellow, blue, or black, or a mix of these. Black usually appears as stripes.
Daffodil cichlids live in large groups, sometimes with hundreds of fish, along rocky coastlines. When they are ready to have babies, they form pairs and lay their eggs in caves. They live in water that is 10 meters (32 feet) deep or even deeper. They eat tiny floating creatures called plankton, as well as small crustaceans and other tiny animals.
What They Look Like
Daffodil cichlids are graceful fish with long bodies and a single fin along their back. Their tail fin looks like a lyre (a small harp), and they have long, flowing parts on their other fins. They usually grow to be about 10-13 cm (4-5 inches) long. In an aquarium, they can sometimes get a bit bigger, up to 15 cm (6 inches). With good care, they can live for 8 to 10 years.
These fish have a light tan body with hints of yellow and bluish-purple spots. The yellow is brighter on their upper body and dorsal fin, and near their front fins. They have two curved bars behind their eyes, highlighted with blue. Their eyes are a brilliant blue, and their fins have icy blue tips.
Behavior and Life Cycle
What They Eat
Daffodil cichlids are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. They mostly eat tiny plankton floating in the water. They also munch on small crustaceans and other tiny water creatures.
Working Together to Raise Babies
Daffodil cichlids live in social groups. These groups have one main breeding pair (the parents) and other fish called "helpers." Both male and female helpers assist the parents. Studies show that breeding pairs with helpers have more success raising their babies. This means more eggs hatch and survive.
When helpers are around, the parent female might lay smaller eggs. This is because the helpers protect the babies, so the mother doesn't need to put as much energy into each egg. This helps the parents have more babies overall. Helpers protect the young, which lowers the chance of them being eaten by predators.
Recognizing Family
In groups where some fish are related and some are not, it's helpful for fish to know who their relatives are. This helps them cooperate more with family members. Young daffodil cichlids prefer to spend time with unfamiliar relatives over unfamiliar non-relatives. This shows that being related is more important than just knowing the other fish. Being able to recognize family helps them avoid having babies with close relatives and also helps them benefit from helping their family.
Social Life
Daffodil cichlids live in groups where each fish has a social rank. The breeding parents are at the top, and the helpers are below them. A fish's social rank affects how it behaves.
Becoming a Breeder
The social order in a daffodil cichlid group is not always fixed. Helpers can become breeders too! The most common way for a helper to become a breeder is by leaving their group and joining a new one. In a new group, they might become a breeder or move up in the social ladder.
Helpers can also become breeders by taking over the top spot in their current group if the dominant fish dies or leaves. How this happens can be different for males and females. For example, if a male breeder leaves, new males from outside the group often take his place. But if a female breeder leaves, it's usually a female helper from within the group who takes over. This shows that female helpers are more likely to inherit the breeding role in their own group.
Group Living
The number of helpers in a daffodil cichlid group can vary a lot, from one to fourteen fish. Larger groups usually live in bigger territories. The size of the group is more important than the size of the breeding fish when it comes to the quality of their home.
Living in a larger group helps the fish survive better. Studies show that larger groups are less likely to disappear over time. In big groups, fish also get to eat more often and have less work to do, which leads to more successful breeding. This suggests that the size of the group is key to the success of the fish in it, not just how big or strong individual fish are.
Protecting Their Home
Daffodil cichlids are very protective of their territory. They will try to chase away any fish that comes into their area, whether it's another daffodil cichlid or a different kind of fish.
Knowing Their Neighbors
Some fish species are more aggressive towards new fish than towards their established neighbors. This is called the "dear enemy" effect. Scientists found that male daffodil cichlids are more aggressive towards new, unfamiliar males than towards their usual neighbors. They spend more time near the border they share with new fish and act more aggressively towards them.
Mating Choices
Male daffodil cichlids can choose to have one mate or multiple mates. Having multiple mates (called polygyny) can be good for males. Some males have only one territory with one female, while others have several territories, each with a different female. Males with multiple mates are usually larger and have fewer parasites.
Interestingly, males with only one mate often live in better territories with more hiding places and fewer predators. These males also help care for the babies more than males with multiple mates. However, the number of babies and their survival rate don't seem to change based on whether the male has one mate or many. This suggests that females might not be at a disadvantage if their mate has other partners.
In the Aquarium
Daffodil cichlids need stable water conditions. They don't handle big water changes very well because Lake Tanganyika, their natural home, has very stable water. It's best to do small water changes, about 10% to 20% each week. You might need to do more frequent small changes if the water quality isn't good.
These fish are very active and swim all over the tank. For a tank with only daffodil cichlids, a minimum of 57 liters (15 US gallons) is recommended, but 75-130 liters (20-35 US gallons) is even better. If you want to mix them with other fish, you'll need a larger tank, 190 liters (50 US gallons) or more. They need good water movement and strong filters. Lake Tanganyika has a lot of oxygen, so you should have air bubblers running all the time, even if you have plants, to make their home feel natural. The nitrate levels should be low (no more than 25 ppm), and the water's pH should not be lower than 7.
Images for kids
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A daffodil cichlid in an aquarium.
