# Lepidiolamprologus kendalli



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Is anyone keeping?breeding this fish?

Must say after buying a WC pair they seem very mild.
I was expecting dificulties reading the profile.
Temperament: Highly Aggressive
Conspecific Temperament: Highly Aggressive

Couple of rubbish photos of em
These are _Lepidolamprologus kendalli_ (Kasanga) I am told by the importer.


and



Ruddy fish if one is not hiding its head a fish swims past and blocks the other.  

All the best James


----------



## Chester B (Dec 28, 2012)

I've had these a couple of times in the past. Started with some juveniles and always ended up with one. In my experience they were harder on one another than towards other species. I think my mistakes were 1) not a big enough tank and 2) didn't buy enough juveniles at one time. They are a more uncommon and fish are quite expensive compared to other cichlids, at least around here. I haven't had any experience with wild adults.

One member on here dstuer keeps L. elongatus with a divider between male and female with a hole small for only the female to pass. I know its not exactly the same species, but is something to think about if you end of having issues later on.


----------



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Thanks. I am guessing I lucked in or rather the dealer managed to pic me an established pair. Seen no aggression what so ever so far. Mind you one fish the dom calvus has simply gone missing. Maybe he was daft enough to try his luck and was erm quicky dispatched.

I rather think I may have probs if they decide to breed.

Getting a tank ready for em so hopefully it will be a happy event rather than a blood bath.

All the best James


----------



## gverde (Mar 3, 2010)

I have a 3" juvenile that I'm not sure of the sex. Doesn't bother anyone in a community tank. Keeps to himself.


----------



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

8) But kind of looking for advice on breeding em.


----------



## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

James, they are VERY high on my list to combine with my fronts in my 240 gallon tank. I am looking at getting some Nkambae.


----------



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

For sure cool guys. Found a guy near me that bred em. Trying to learn how he managed it 8)


----------



## JoeU (Dec 27, 2012)

It's my absolute favorite cichlid. I had one in the past, years ago in a 55-gallon (4-foot-long) community tank, and he really never bothered anyone. But every time I tried to keep one other than that one, he would kill and eat everything else in the tank, even fish almost his own size.

This time around (back to cichlids this year after a long time out of the hobby) I haven't tried again yet. It's a hard fish to find, it seems. If I could get an established pair I would snap them up and try them, for sure.


----------



## Floridagirl (Jan 10, 2008)

Gman hasn't been on here in a while, but he has kept them in a 180 with his Fronts.


----------



## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

Floridagirl said:


> Gman hasn't been on here in a while, but he has kept them in a 180 with his Fronts.


I would love to see and learn more about these fish


----------



## mhertzfeld (May 19, 2012)

I've got a single Nkambae male in my 125g and it's probably my favorite fish. Never causes any problems.

I've been told they get pretty mean when they pair up. To the point where the pair are the only fish left in a tank. Just something to keep in mind.


----------



## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

mhertzfeld said:


> I've got a single Nkambae male in my 125g and it's probably my favorite fish. Never causes any problems.
> 
> I've been told they get pretty mean when they pair up. To the point where the pair are the only fish left in a tank. Just something to keep in mind.


I think that depends on the fish you have them with. I have heard the risk in a frontosa tank is the frontosa bitting the Nkambae in half (that happened in a friend's tank).


----------



## Razzo (Oct 17, 2007)

I do have to say that these fish are wicked cool looking and I am really want to get some. I wish, I could repost some of the pics I have come across but I don't want to infringe on the copyright of my fellow fish brothers.


----------



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Well it seems we got two pair plus a male imported into the UK. Mine, I am keeping with small guys in a 60"x18"x18" (female now looking/acting more aggressive around a cave and fiesty male as yet not too intesersted) other guy with a pair keeping em in with fronts 72"x24"x24". Lets see what works over time. :thumb:
Boy can they eat! Spend lots of time begging for more food. Mine are on NLS.


----------



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Saying that its not realy a fare test. Other guy got in first and got the bigger maybe older pair. :wink:


----------



## dstuer (Mar 27, 2013)

My L elongatus only seem to get aggressive with each other while raising fry, when the male chases her away, that's when I stick the divider in.
The pair are again living together copacetic alone as a pair in a 75, with lots of tubes and pipes for her to disappear into.

They were never aggressive with other species of cichlids or catfish they couldn't swallow.


----------



## 24Tropheus (Jun 21, 2006)

Wow in a 75g. how big are they please? Profile says get to 12.5"!

Be eating my tank mates but Wow if I saw those for sale I would have grabbed em and given em a 180g!

Real  fish mate. :thumb:


----------



## dstuer (Mar 27, 2013)

My spawning pair are about 8" male and 6" for the female. At first I had them in a 125 with other cichlids, but they are very sedentary, being lurk and strike predators they spend a lot of time in one spot. 
They have been the only 2 fish in the 75, and so far, seem to be doing well. 
I saw a photo of a male taken in a boat in Lake Tanganyika, from an old Buntbarsche Bulletin that appeared to be at least 20", but since mine are growing fairly slowly, maybe an inch in 6 months, the 75 should do for a while.

The fry on the other hand grow at a faster rate, back in May they looked like the one in the upper left

now they look like this, at not quite 2".

easily double the adult rate, although slower than Central Americans, the Lepidiolamprologus are @ 1 month older than the Herichthys batoni they are growing out with.


----------

