Shallow intermediate habitat, Cape Banza, DRC, by Marcus Vinicius David (Brazil)

Assessed by: Ad Konings (CichlidPress) and Stefano Valdesalici (AIK)

Marcus says: “This bitiope aquarium aims to simulate a shallow region of the coast of Cape Banza, located in the far north of the Ubwari peninsula, in the northern basin of Lake Tanganyika. “A lighted aquarium, filled with Hydrilla verticillata in the intermediate zone between the rocks. The rocks are kaolinite-rich sandstones which occur along the coast of the Ubwari peninsula. The largest rock is approximately 60 kg and takes up 2/3 of the aquarium. The substrate has a large granulometric dispersion and is the result of a mixture of sand from different beaches.

“The fauna is composed of shell-dwellers Lamprologus ocellatus and Neolamprologus multifasciatus, separated by the large rocks and with sandy areas unique to each species. Rock-dwellers

Neolamprologus leleupi occupy the rocky agglomerates that form refuges and caves. The species interaction is quite interesting, each with its well-established regions. Neolamprologus leleupi are prolific and Lamprologus ocellatus promote birth control.”