Animal-World > Freshwater Fish > Cichlids - Lake Tanganyika > Convict Julie

Convict Julie

Striped Julie ~ Giant Julie ~ Regani Family: Cichlidae

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Julidochromis regani Photo © Animal-World: Courtesy Frank Schneidewind

  Not only is the Convict Julie a very pretty fish, it has a nice temperament!

   The Convict Julie is a fairly peaceful cichlid and you can keep just one specimen, a pair, or even a group of these fish. They also do well in a community cichlid tank. Keep them with other Tanganyika cichlids that are similar in size. They are easy to care for as long as regular water changes are done to keep water at optimal levels. Provide them with a sandy or fine gravel substrate along with lots of rock formations and plants. This fish will breed in captivity, and the plants will provide cover for the newly hatch fry.

   There are several slightly different color pattern variations of the Convict Julie, and all are very attractive. They have a nice contrast of horizontal lines or marbling colored in browns over varying shades of yellow on the background. These patterns vary depending upon the location in Lake Tanganyika where each specimen is collected. It is important to keep conspecific varieties and similar species separate to help prevent hybrid strains from entering the trade, thus losing the true color forms.

   The name Convict Julie is one common name these fish are known by. Other common names or different spellings these fish are known by are the Striped Julie, Giant Julie, Yellow Julie, and Regani. The name 'Yellow Julie' is also used for its close relative the Ornate Julie Julidochromis ornatus, which has a very similar appearance.

For more Information on keeping freshwater fish see:
Guide to a Happy, Healthy Freshwater Aquarium

Dream Aquarium Build your own aquarium The Coolest and Funnest Screensaver in the World.

Distribution:
   The Convict Julie was described by Poll in 1942. It was named after Mr. Charles Tate Regan, a british ichthyologist and director of the British Museum of Natural History. These fish are endemic to Lake Tanganyika, Africa. They inhabit open waters and shallow rocky areas with a sandy substrate. They search for algae and invertebrates that they pick from the rock and sand.

Status:
   This species is listed on the IUCN Red List with the status of 'LC', meaning 'Least Concern'.

Description:
   The Convict Julie is an elongated, cylindrically shaped fish. They have a nice contrast of horizontal lines (three to four depending on variety) or marbling colored in browns over varying shades of yellow on the background. Some have a beautiful yellow on the belly and in the pectoral fins. The dorsal and caudal fins are edged in blue. They are very similar to their close relative the Ornate Julie Julidochromis ornatus, but in general their body is more elongated.

There are slight differences in the Convict Julie depending on the region where they are found, below are just a few of them:

• Kachese: This variety has four or five bold black horizontal lines alternating with light yellow lines and a marbled tail. The dark lines run all the way through the body and into the face
• Kipili: This variety has fewer horizontal lines on the body. There are three thin black lines on the upper portion set on a cream or yellow background. The mid body line extends from the eye to the beginning of the caudal fin. Below that line is yellow. The anal and pelvic fins are a pale yellow near the body, then fading into blue, and finally a tiny pin striping in black. The face has lines from top to bottom.
• Gombi: This variety looks very different. It has a dark brown to black body marked with irregular grayish/tan patches or irregular bands though out the body. The fins are outlined in a light blue with black 'tipping' at the very edge. There are grayish/tan spots on the head and a grayish/tan horizontal line by the gill running though the eyes, over the nose, and back around to the other side of the head.
• Kigoma: This variety has four or five very thick black horizontal lines on a cream background.
• Zambia / Sumbu: This variety is known as the 'Zambia Gold' or 'Sumbu Gold'. It has four broad black horizontal lines on a yellow background
• Burundi : This variety has four black horizontal lines that are very broad, on a cream background

   All cichlids share a common feature that some saltwater fish such as wrasses and parrotfish have and that is a well-developed pharyngeal set of teeth that are in the throat, along with their regular teeth. Cichlids have spiny rays in the back parts of the anal, dorsal, pectoral, and pelvic fins to help discourage predators. The front part of these fins are soft and perfect for precise positions and effortless movements in the water as opposed to fast swimming.
   Cichlids have one nostril on each side while other fish have 2 sets. To sense “smells” in the water, they suck water in and expel the water right back out after being “sampled” for a short or longer time, depending on how much the cichlid needs to “smell” the water. This feature is shared by saltwater damselfish and cichlids are thought to be closely related.

Size - Weight:
  The Convict Julie grows to a length of 5” (13 cm).

Care and feeding:
   The Convict Julie is an omnivore. In the wild they search for algae and invertebrates that they pick from the rock and sand. In the aquarium they can be be fed Cyclops, water fleas, shrimps, Artemia or other special foods for Lake Tanganyika cichlids. Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity once a day. All fish benefit from vitamins and supplements added to their foods.
   A minimum 20 gallon tank for a single fish is suggested, and 40 gallons or more for a community type tank.They do fine in either freshwater or brackish freshwater but need good water movement along with very strong and efficient filtration. For freshwater an optional practice is to add 1 heaping teaspoon of salt per 11 gallons of water. This is considered to be a simple and natural remedy for wounds, minor fungal infections and film over the eyes of fish in transit. Using a marine salt (used for salt water fish) will add some trace elements. Rocks and a sandy or small gravel substrate will make them feel comfortable. Plants are also appreciated, and may help the fry to survive.
   Do normal water changes of 10% to 15% a week, or more frequent changes depending on the nitrite/ammonia levels and stocking numbers. The Lake Tanganyika cichlids cannot handle large water changes very well unless the new water chemistry closely matches the water they are in. If a large water change is needed, changing 15% every couple of days should bring water back to normal. This inability to tolerate large water changes is due to Lake Tanganyika being very deep and the water tends to stay stable.
   These fish are susceptible to typical fish ailments, especially if water is stale and of poor quality and oxygenation. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Water changes, not overfeeding or overcrowding, and observation along with feeding your fish the proper foods (thawing frozen food and adding vitamins) will keep them in optimum health.
   One common problem is Ich. It can be treated with the elevation of the tank temperature to 86° F (30° C) for 3 days. If that does not cure the Ich, then the fish needs to be treated with copper (remove any water conditioners). Several copper based fish medications are available for Ich. Copper use must be kept within the proper levels, so be sure to follow the manufacturers suggestions. You can also combine increasing the temperature with an Ich medication treatment. A copper test also can be used to keep the proper levels.      

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   These fish will swim in the middle and bottom areas of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Hardness: 7 - 13 dH
   Ph: 7.8 - 9.2
   Temp: 75 - 84° F (24 - 29° C)

Lake Tanganyika is the second to largest lake in the world, thus contributing to a low fluctuation in Ph and temperature. Several things all Lake Tanganyika cichlids need are:

1. Stable temperatures kept within acceptable limits.
2. Lots of oxygen to survive. Lake Tanganyika is a very oxygen rich lake. Bubblers need to be going day and night, even if there are plants.
3. Avoid overfeeding and overstocking.
4. Do a 10-15% water change weekly.
5. Regularly check nitrates (no more than 25 ppm), Ph (less than 7 is not tolerated), total hardness and carbonate hardness.

Social Behaviors:
   The Convict Julie can be kept singly, as a pair, or in a group. This fish is a community cichlid that can be kept with other Tanganyika cichlids that are similar size. They are generally peaceful toward those of the same species if raised together from juveniles. They will tolerate those of a different genus. Do not house with other color variations of Convict Julies to avoid cross breeding and losing pure strains.
   If you want to breed themm they do best in a species specific tank. Provide them with a 20 gallon tank and do not house with plecostomos, as these fish will eat the fry at night. Do not house with other color variations of Convict Julies to avoid cross breeding and losing pure strains.

Sexual Differences:
   The Convict Julie can be hard to sex visually, but generally the male will guard a territory. You will see them pair off and that will give you an indication as well. The genital openings of females are larger for the eggs to pass through.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   The Convict Julie has been bred in captivity. They are cave spawners, and young couples need practice to become successful parents. Do not be surprised if they eat their first clutch or two. They are easy to breed, but are best kept in their own breeding tank with another fish that takes the “punishment” of aggression from the parents. The reason is that part of the parent’s bond is associated with protecting the eggs and fry together. If there is not another fish in the tank for them to “protect” their young from, the male will generally turn on the female and damage her. Do not use plecostomos as they will eat the young during the night.
   Provide them with caves made from rocks and/or clay planting pots and/or pieces of slate, as they adhere their eggs to the “roof” of their cave. Once the tank has been set up do not move any decorations around since this more than likely will break the bond a male and female have made. This is another part of their bond that is connected to the “territory” more than to each other. The male and female will hang around each other during spawning and drive the others away from their turf, which in turn strengthens their bond. If the tank is a community cichlid tank and you notice the fry not surviving due to other cichlids eating them all, on the next hatch carefully siphon the fry out of the tank. Don't chase or rearrange the tank, and do not take all of the fry or the parents will become confused and will start to eat the next spawns
   Females deposit about 35 to 100 eggs in the cave and males fertilizes them. The eggs hatch in about 3 days. They both share the duty of guarding the eggs and fry. The parents allow the older fry to stay in the area even when new batches are hatched, but will kick them out when they are fully matured. The fry can be fed live baby brine shrimp. The adults will get at it too, but as the brine falls in the rocks the babies do get their share. It takes almost 5 months to get them to a 1” size and they are mature at 14 to 18 months. See the description of monogamous cichlids in Breeding Freshwater Fish.

Availability:
   The Convict Julie is available both online and in fish stores, ranging between $12.00 and $15.00 USD for juveniles. Purchase from a reputable dealer, due to hybridization it takes a trained eye to choose the correct color strain that has not been crossed.

Author: Carrie McBirney

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