Temporalis cichlid

Telmatochromis temporalis

Also known as Telmatochromis burgeoni, Shell telmatochromis

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–81°F (24–27°C)
pH: 7.8–9.0
Adult size: 3.9 in (10 cm)
Minimum tank: 29 gal (110 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Solitary
Tankmates: Tankmates with caution
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Easy
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Lake Tanganyika
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

The temporalis cichlid is a hardy, easy Tanganyikan for a rock or shell setup. It is best kept as a single fish or a bonded pair, since it can be pushy toward its own kind, and tankmates should be chosen with some care so it does not squabble with similar bottom-dwellers. It lives low down, wedging into rock seams or empty snail shells, so give it tight crevices and a patch of shells to call its own. Feed small frozen and dried foods; it is not fussy. A tank of around 110 liters suits a pair with a few calm Tanganyikan companions.

In the wild

This cichlid lives around rocky shores of Lake Tanganyika, with some populations settling in beds of empty snail shells over sand. Recreate either version with a sandy floor and piled rock giving narrow cracks, or a scatter of escargot-style shells. Tanganyika water is hard and very alkaline, so keep it warm and well buffered, around 24 to 27 C and pH 7.8 to 9.0.

Good to know

Telmatochromis temporalis is a cichlid reaching about 10 centimeters in its normal rock-dwelling form; the fish once listed as T. burgeoni is the same species. It is a substrate spawner that lays eggs on hidden rock surfaces, with both parents guarding. Remarkably, populations living in shell beds mature at roughly half the size and brood inside empty snail shells.

Did you know

The same species runs two body plans: a full-sized fish on open rock, and a dwarf form barely half as long that lives and breeds inside empty snail shells, an adaptation to the shelter the shells provide.