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No federal permit to keepReganochromis calliurus
Reganochromis calliurus
Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)
Reganochromis calliurus is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 30 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 5.9 in / 15 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 73–82°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 7–8.5.
- Hardness: 10–15 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 47 × 18 in (roughly 54 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: hard, alkaline water, 75–81 °F, pH 8–9.2, 8–25 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament peaceful; in a pair.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “A fairly sparse set up is recommended, with a substrate of sand.”
- Diet: “It will accept most foods offered but live and frozen varieties should form the bulk of the diet.”
- Tankmates: “A peaceful fish that should not be kept with boisterous species such as mbuna, or other Tanganyikans with different dietary requirements.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Lake Tanganyika cichlids
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Rocky reefs, shell beds and sand of Lake Tanganyika. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Use species-specific alkaline-water parameters and stable, well-oxygenated conditions. For N. multifasciatus, Seriously Fish gives pH 7.5–9.0 and general hardness 8–25 dGH.
- Shell-dwellers need beds of empty snail shells; rock-dwellers like Julidochromis need stacked rockwork; Tropheus need large groups and spacious tanks.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 76–81°F |
Diet
- Tropheus moorii needs a vegetable-based staple with small suitable live/frozen supplements. Other Tanganyikans need their own feeding plan; shell-dweller and predator diets differ.
Social life
- Often pair- or colony-forming and territorial; research each genus.
Health watch
- Tropheus are prone to bloat on rich foods; sudden water changes stress Tanganyikans.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It lives over a sandy substrate in deeper coastal waters, to depths of at least 60 m (200 ft). Its preferred diet consists mostly of shrimp.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Reganochromis calliurus” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in lakes. Uses both the bottom and open water. Inhabits deep coastal waters over sand bottoms; at least to 60 m. Omnivorous but feeds mainly on shrimp. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 73–82 °F (23–28 °C), pH 7–8.5, hardness 10–15 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 73–82 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 86°F (up to 91°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 60°F (down to 53°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 67–79°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 55–72% on average (driest month about 55%) |
| Rainfall | about 1056 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 14 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Reganochromis calliurus is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. It lives over a sandy substrate in deeper coastal waters, to depths of at least 60 m. Its preferred diet consists mostly of shrimp. It can reach a total length of 15 cm. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Biology | Inhabits deep coastal waters over sand bottoms; at least to 60 m. Omnivorous but feeds mainly on shrimp. — FishBase |
| History and naming | The generic name is a compound noun, made up of the surname Regan, in honour of the British ichthyologist Charles Tate Regan (1878–1943) of the British Museum (Natural History), and the Greek word chromis which was used by Aristotle for a type of fish. This was probably the drum Sciaenidae and may be derived from the word chroemo which means "to neigh" in reference to the noise made by drums. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 18 in (about 54 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Seriously Fish — Neolamprologus multifasciatus Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish — Tropheus moorii Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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