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Keeping Fossorochromis rostratus; a pictorial
guide - part I
by Francesco Zezza
I don’t know why this fish fascinates me this much …
Maybe because they were caught while working with Marco and Stefania at
the Lake during our stay (October 1999) in The Monkey Bay/Cape McLear
area. Maybe because of their final remarkable size, shape, and colours, or
maybe something else, but … I like ’em! … Period!
Anyway, to make a long story short, the matter began
here (pics shot by Stafania at sunrise).
The beach close to Monkey Bay. The starting point …
After the collection (btw: NOT easy, since this fish
buries himself in the sand when threatened …) and the trip back home
(because of their EXTREMELY small size at the moment of trip, there were
NO losses), the fry were divided into three groups upon arrival:
A first group proceeded to Marco Isidori’s tanks (I‘ll post
something on his activity with cichlids sooner or later. He’s doing a
GREAT job!).
A second group remained with me (in Rome).
A third group (after some months of waiting in my tank!) arrived in
George’s tank in Athens.
I, then, ended up with a group of eight fast growing
fry which were hosted in the beginning as pictured.
125 lt, fry tank: the "checkered" melanic pattern of
young Fossorochromis is clearly in sight!
After MANY MONTHS (a Fossorochromis – we ended up in
nicknaming these fishes as "Fossie" – takes up to two years to fully
develop into an adult fish), one of my wild male looked like this.
In the pic are shown – above - a male Fossorochromis AND
– below - a sub-adult Cyrtocara moori. These fishes share the same
environment (sand) and feeding attitudes (sand sifters)
With passing time, as usual, the males began to get
interest in the opposite sex. Again; see picture!
This isn’t yet a displaying behaviour, but, at least,
states something is "on the go"!!!
You have to be patient (not my best attitude, believe
me) to see a 2 cm (less than one inch) fry blossom into this beauty …
An almost adult male. He has to turn darker before
finishing his growth!
A lot of time passes, and then, in one night of
nightmares, the dominant male killed FOUR other fish of its own genus, a
Copadichromis borley male, and two unsexed Lethrinops intermedius (all
wild specimens!) in ONE night. Upon discovering the mess the next morning,
I felt HORRIBLE!!! And then, to make things even worse, a week afterwards,
the fish managed to bury himself under a rock which had fallen because of
digging, and passed away, thus leaving me with a "lonely female" … JUST MY
LUCK!!!
Then, at last, the helping hand arrived from Greece
(George decided to attend the meeting of Italian Cichlid Association, AIC,
last year) and brought back to me this "wild, huge beauty".
Gorgeous fish, isn’t it?!?!
continued in next page
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