INFO - "N. LINNI"

NAME: Linni

GENUS: Nimbochromis

SPECIES: Linni

ENDEMIC TO: Lake Malawi - AFRICA

MAX SIZE: 30 cm

WATER PARAMETERS: 24-27C / PH : 7.2 to 8.5

CLASS: Mouth brooding Mbuna

SEXUAL DIMORPHISM: Males and females begin early stages of their life the same colour. On a white base with the typical Nimbochromis brown "army" pattern and speckles of minute brown salt and pepper spots over their body. Mature dominant males acquire a bright blue sheen over their head and body together with enhanced colours in their anal and dorsal fins. Females remain with their juvenile colouration through their entire life. Vent sexing is the most accurate form of diagnosis in this genus.

TEMPERAMENT: Linni are particularly aggressive to females and sub-dominant males of their own species. During breeding periods they will defend spawning sites and harass females consistently hence adequate aquarium space must be available for this larger growing species.
They will co-exist with other species of cichlids as their aggression mostly extends to only other N. Linni.

DIET REQUIREMENTS: Nimbochromis Linni are a natural predator in the wild. Their diet in the wild would consist of insects, invertebrates, crustaceans and small fish. Their extended mouth is designed to aid them in extracting smaller fish whom seek refuge in crevices and to help them forage through sandy substrates in search of other sources of food. In captivity they readily take dry foods (sinking pellets, flakes), frozen blood worms/brine shrimp and live foods. Keep in mind to allow them variation by supplementing their regular diet with the occasional live and or frozen foods.
Linni are prone to health problems where high protein pellets are their sole dietary intake.

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

• Males do prefer caves to defend however swimming and foraging in open space is common and adequate aquarium space must be provided for them.
  
• N. Linni will not readily interbreed with other cichlids.
• Purchasing juvenile fish is recommended as determining their sex is difficult from young. If obtaining 5cm fish to rear it is recommended to invest in 8 tails or more. If dietary intake is incorrect this species is very susceptible to internal problems causing rapid deaths. Again selecting 2-3 larger specimens and 4-5 smaller fish from the same batch will lead to higher possibilities of a successful breeding colony.
  
• Breeding colonies of 1male and 3 females will suffice. Previous recommendations to obtain more juveniles was to incorporate losses during rearing.
  
• Linni generally do not begin breeding until they reach 12cm in length or 10-12months of age.
  
• An adult mouth brooding female may even hold in excess of 80 eggs.
• From spawning date, fry should be free swimming after 14 days depending on water temperature.
  
• Easy to house. Rearing must involve attention to their diet and water temperatures not exceeding 27c.
• Feed live foods to optimise breeding.
• From a scale of 1-10, ten being HARD. Linni would rate a 6 for breeding in regular aquarium conditions.

photos courtesy of plecos.com/Frank Panis