Neolamprologus transvestitus.

From the go I would like to point out that this has no referance at all to The Rocky Horrer Picture Show.

I just can't scale down without sucsess. New 2ft tank has been set up and is busy cycling for the expected arrival of these fishes, in 3 weeks time from Congo.

The transvestitus part of their name is due to the female being the more colorfull of the two sexes. They are currently on the IUCN red list as endangered due to local fishers using fine nets for catching fish, and also that they are only found in Mai-Ndombe lake (Lake Leopold II). This lake is actually a black water lake which gives it a very low ph, anything between 4 and 7. Spawning will only take place at 5ph, as the fry won't be able to hatch at a higher ph due to the eggs outer surface getting too hard. Challange accepted to get them breading.

Tank set-up with rocks, some hidden Langa, to buffer the ph, and topped with some fine innert substrate to allow them to dig their own caves. Oak leaves and Rooibos tea to give the tannins stain to the water. Will either use Seachems Discus buffer or ADA's water softner to lower ph, not a big fan of using chemicals to do this. My wc water is running through a test perioud now, with peat added to it, to see if I can lower the ph enough, tap water at 8.4, to keep water paramaters as stable as possible. Only planning to get one pair, as there is only 40 fish comming in, and more fish will defnitly cause problems in this size aquarium.

Please note that the fishes I posted isn't mine and was taken of the www just to show you how awesome they are and why I couldn't resist them. Female is infront of the duller male.

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@A new day it is extremely weard that these fish come from a lake in Africa that isn't alkaline. Wasn't expecting this but luckely a did some homework before hand else I would have set up a aquarium similar to my brevis tank.

Thanks @Reedfish for the input. Will defnitly go that way then as I'm sure that with any natural method you won't getthe water below 6. At least with this you can buffer the water and prevent a ph crash. If the Langa soil causes it not to drop below 6.4 I will have to remove it though and depend on the buffer in the discus buffer.

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Depends on how much I can bring the tap ph down I still have the option of using ro water. Only use ro on the gourami aquarium and the substrate keeps my ph at 6.4. Not a long way to go further down.

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They stunning @pierreschoonraad
Its incredible what beauties our African lakes hold

 

Before this expidition started it will end. I need the space that this tank takes up for a new tank that I just have to set up. Unfortunately it won't be fresh water but going over to the dark side of marine.

Due to my work and all the new thing I need to learn I just have to do this. I've been wanting to do this for quite some time now and is lucky to be able to set this up at a very afordable expence.

I know that it won't be tropical and should rather be on MASA but I will share it, in a new thread, with TASA. I know there is some people on here that have/had marine tanks that will give me some advise along the way.

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