Golden julie
Julidochromis ornatus
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–81°F
- 23–27°C
- pH
- 7.8–9.0
- Adult size
- 3.1 in
- 8 cm
- Minimum tank
- 18 gal
- 70 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Cave spawner · Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Lake Tanganyika
Overview
The golden julie is a small Tanganyikan cichlid that lives among rockwork in the middle of the tank. It is mostly peaceful, and it suits a keeper with a little experience.
Caring for the golden julie
Give golden julies at least 18 gal (70 L), with a lot of stacked rockwork full of caves and crevices. Plenty of structure gives a pair room to claim and breaks up sight lines.
Keep the water hard and very alkaline, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 7.8 to 9.0. Feed a quality cichlid pellet plus frozen brine shrimp and daphnia.
Golden julies are mostly peaceful but territorial, especially around their chosen cave. A bonded pair will hold and defend a patch of rock. They can be scrappy with their own kind and similar species, so plan tank mates carefully.
They are cave spawners that lay their eggs on hard surfaces inside rock crevices. Both parents guard the eggs and fry, and breeding them is hard.
Good to know
Julidochromis ornatus is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae. It has an elongated body with dark horizontal stripes on a golden base.
In the wild
Golden julies live along the rocky shorelines of Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. They stick close to piles of rock, using cracks and caves for shelter and territory. The lake's water is hard and very alkaline.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The golden julie is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Multie shell dweller
Neolamprologus multifasciatus
Freshwater1.8 in (4.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Cuckoo squeaker
Synodontis multipunctatus
Freshwater7.1 in (18 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Black calvus
Altolamprologus calvus
Freshwater5.1 in (13 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Poll's synodontis
Synodontis polli
Freshwater5.1 in (13 cm) · 21 gal (80 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Tanganyika killifish
Lamprichthys tanganicanus
Freshwater5.5 in (14 cm) · 40 gal (150 L)73–77°F (23–25°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a golden julie need?
A golden julie needs at least 18 gal (70 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a golden julie need?
A golden julie is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 7.8–9.0.
What does a golden julie eat?
A golden julie eats a quality cichlid pellet plus frozen brine shrimp and daphnia.
How big does a golden julie get?
An adult golden julie reaches about 3.1 in (8 cm).
How does a golden julie breed?
Golden julies are cave spawners that lay their eggs on hard surfaces inside rock crevices. Both parents guard the eggs and fry, and breeding them is hard.
Related species
4.3 in (11 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Brown julie
Julidochromis dickfeldi
4.3 in (11 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
5.9 in (15 cm)29 gal (110 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Marlier's julie
Julidochromis marlieri
5.9 in (15 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Masked julie
Julidochromis transcriptus
2.8 in (7 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
5.1 in (13 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Convict julie
Julidochromis regani
5.1 in (13 cm) · 29 gal (110 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)Egyptian mouthbrooder
Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor
3.1 in (8 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
3.1 in (8 cm)42 gal (160 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Falcicula cichlid
Neolamprologus falcicula
3.1 in (8 cm) · 42 gal (160 L)