Golden Julie

Care at a glance

Overview

They are mostly peaceful but territorial, especially around their chosen cave. A bonded pair will hold and defend a patch of rock, so give them plenty of structure to claim and break up sight lines. Keep the temperature from the low to mid 20s C and pH high, roughly 7.8 to 9. Feed a quality cichlid pellet plus frozen brine shrimp and daphnia. They can be scrappy with their own kind and similar species, so plan tankmates carefully.

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 water is hard and very alkaline, so your tank needs a lot of stacked rockwork with caves and crevices, hard water, and a high pH.

Good to know

Julidochromis ornatus is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae. Adults reach about 8 cm and have an elongated body with dark horizontal stripes on a golden base. They are cave spawners that lay eggs on hard surfaces inside rock crevices. Both parents guard the eggs and fry.

Did you know

Pairs often stay together long term and raise several batches of fry in the same territory. Older juveniles are sometimes tolerated and may help guard younger siblings, so you can see a small family group hanging around one rock pile.

Related species

• 

  Brown Julie

  Julidochromis dickfeldi

  4.3 in (11 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Marlier's julie

  Julidochromis marlieri

  5.9 in (15 cm)29 gal (110 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)

• 

  Masked julie

  Julidochromis transcriptus

  2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Convict julie

  Julidochromis regani

  5.1 in (13 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Egyptian mouthbrooder

  Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor

  3.1 in (8 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)

• 

  Flameback cichlid

  Pundamilia nyererei

  3.5 in (9 cm)42 gal (160 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)