The Lake
Lake Tanganyika sits between Tanzania, DRC, Burundi, and Zambia. The water is hard, alkaline (pH 8.5–9.0), warm (76–82°F), and crystal clear (visibility 50+ feet in places).
Three habitat zones support different fish: rocky shore (Mbuna-equivalents like Tropheus), intermediate sand-rock (Julidochromis), and sandy floor (shell dwellers, goby cichlids).
Rocky Shore Biotope
Tank: 75-gallon+, heavy rockwork (basalt or limestone), aragonite sand.
Fish: Tropheus moorii (algae grazers, group of 12+), Cyprichromis leptosoma (sardine-like schoolers).
Tropheus need a "no-meat" diet — Spirulina and vegetable foods only. Bloat is fatal.
Sandy Floor Biotope
Tank: 20-gallon long+, sand bottom, scattered Neothauma snail shells.
Fish: shell dwellers — Neolamprologus multifasciatus (multies), N. brevis, N. similis. They live in and breed in shells.
Group of 10–20 shell dwellers in a 20-gallon long is stable.
Featherfin Cichlid Biotope
Tank: 75-gallon+, sandy bottom with rock features.
Fish: Cyathopharynx furcifer (featherfin), Ophthalmotilapia ventralis. Sand-sifters with elaborate male display.
Water Chemistry
pH: 8.5–9.0.
GH: 12–18.
KH: 12–18.
Use Tanganyika buffer (Seachem) or DIY mineral salt mix.
Aragonite substrate continuously buffers pH and hardness.
Plants
True Tanganyika biotope has minimal plants. Vallisneria is the only major species in the lake.
Many keepers add Anubias as "biotope-flexible" — not strictly correct but tolerated.
Maintenance
Water changes: 20% weekly with buffered prepared water.
Aragonite substrate replenishment: top up every 2 years.
Test pH and KH monthly.