This period the item is: sardine cichlids. The utmost beautiful specimen of this tribe that in the meantime extended until 7 members, remains the form "Blue Neon" out of the environment of Chituta bay
Cyprichromis nigripinnis (BOULENGER, 1901)

A very slender mouthbreeder
Cyprichromis nigripinnis, formerly known as Lymnochromis nigripinnis, in nature lives integrated in large groups of Cyprichromis Ieptosoma. Therefore it is not to be recommenced to keep them as a pair or even in a little group. Acting like that one would do violence to the natural way of life. After my opinion even a group of 10 animals still is not large enough. In larger groups the male will threaten each other regularly; serious injuries will occur absolutely not. Surely not if from setting up the tank one makes allowance with the fact that those fishes will never search for a hiding place in a hole. Subordinate animals and females which are not willing to mate, will hardly be able to hide. Therefore the number of animals must be studiously attuned to the room and the possibilities of the aquarium. It also pays to pay attention to a good proportion of the both sexes. It is not difficult to distinguish the males from the females. Males have black anal and a caudal fins, as these fins of the females are glittering yellowish; in the weekstralige part of the caudal fin the different sexes show the reversed colors. The picture shows the variety from the environment of Chituta Bay, better known under the name Blue Neon.
For the Dutch cichlidfan these group of cichlids is a gain. While these cichlids in contrast to nearly all other cichlids are not tied to the bottom but show a preference to the mid water section and higher up, they are a perfect godsend for the Tanganjika-aquarium . And yet, not every cichlid is a good company for our sardines. About Cyphotilapia frontosa for example is known that in the fading light of early evening they furiously hunt for them and also for other specious it must be sure that they won't disturb the essential tranquillity. Particularly in the beginning when the animals did not yet adept themselves to the new circumstances they arduously accept surrogate food. To keep them in good condition we can feed them with natural food like Daphnia, Cyclops en little crustacea.
Read and see more about this splendid cichlids on the de foto-info pages 41, 42, and 43