Titcha Mandarin Compressiceps (Altolamprologus compressiceps) – 3.5–8cm Sizes

Choose this crevice-hunting Tanganyika cichlid deliberately

Titcha Mandarin Compressiceps is the shopping name for Altolamprologus compressiceps, a freshwater cichlid with a deep, laterally compressed body and an elongated mouth adapted to search cracks between rocks. FishBase identifies the species as endemic to and widely distributed in Lake Tanganyika. Seriously Fish describes it as a specialised carnivore that takes invertebrates, crustaceans and smaller fish in nature, with shrimp making up more than 80% of stomach contents in one study of wild fish.

Those characteristics shape every useful aquarium decision. Build around rock faces and crevices rather than an empty open floor, offer animal-based foods that can reach a deliberate feeder, and screen companions by adult mouth size as well as temperament. This is not a general mixed-community choice for tiny fish or ornamental shrimp. It suits a keeper prepared to maintain hard, alkaline water, high water quality and a carefully planned Tanganyikan community.

Understand exactly what you are selecting

The live selector uses the labels “3,5 - 4 cm”, “4-5 cm”, “5-6 cm” and “7 - 8 cm”. One purchase supplies one animal of the selected option. The size you select is the size supplied, not the adult size. Choose by the aquarium and its existing occupants: a smaller animal needs reliable access to correctly sized food, while every selection still requires space for the full adult body and territory.

Sex is guaranteed only when the selected option explicitly states male or female. This Titcha Mandarin Compressiceps listing has no sex-guaranteed option.

Use the gallery for appearance, not individual identification

The pictured fish shows a deep yellow body, pale mottling, pointed snout and tall dorsal profile. The gallery images are representative of this type of animal rather than photographs of the exact animal supplied, so colours can look slightly different from the live animal.

Plan the aquarium around adult size and usable space

FishBase records a maximum of 12.3 cm total length for male or unsexed Altolamprologus compressiceps. Seriously Fish separately records 125 mm standard length. Plan around the FishBase maximum of 12.3 cm used throughout this listing rather than scaling the aquarium to the dispatch selection.

Seriously Fish recommends minimum base dimensions of 120 × 45 cm or equivalent, paired with an aquarium volume of about 243 litres. Both parts matter. A tall aquarium with a narrow floor may hold the same nominal volume but offer fewer separate rock faces, feeding lanes and withdrawal routes. Rockwork also displaces water, so compare the stated volume with the actual usable footprint and filtered water volume.

Set a routine water range before choosing companions

Seriously Fish gives aquarium values of 24–28°C, pH 8.0–9.0 and 7–25 dGH. OATA’s African lake cichlid guide gives 23–27°C, pH 8.0–8.6 and 12–18 dGH for the group; use their shared routine range of 24–27°C, pH 8.0–8.6 and 12–18 dGH. FishBase records wild environmental values of 23–25°C, pH 6.5–7.5 and 8–12 dH, while the dedicated aquarium profile supports the hard, alkaline Tanganyikan conditions used here.

Before committing, sketch the base as a 120 × 45 cm rectangle and mark the footprint of every major rock structure. If all crevices cluster in one pile, one fish may control the entire useful shelter zone. Several broken structures create more boundaries without changing the litre figure.

Build secure rockwork before adding the sand

A sandy substrate with complex piles of rock closely matches the aquarium layout recommended for this species. Put the main rocks directly on the aquarium base before adding substrate around them. This prevents digging from removing support beneath a heavy structure. Each piece should remain stable when neighbouring sand shifts, and no upper rock should depend on a small, loose contact point.

Use the rockwork to create function rather than one solid wall. Crevices let the fish use its compressed body and elongated mouth, while broken sight lines allow another cichlid to leave view. Keep some clear sand in front of the structures as a feeding and observation lane. You should be able to see whether food is eaten and reach debris without dismantling the whole aquarium.

Test the layout before filling

1. Press each base rock: it should not tilt, rotate or settle into loose substrate.
2. Trace exit routes: a fish entering a crevice should have room to reverse or leave without passing the only dominant entrance.
3. Break long sight lines: offset separate structures so one cave holder cannot watch the entire base.
4. Keep service access: leave room for a siphon and access to filter intakes, heaters and trapped waste.
5. Check flow routes: water should move around the rocks without turning every sheltered position into a high-flow channel.

Size the equipment for the planned aquarium

At about 243 litres, Seriously Fish illustrates a turnover of four to five times the aquarium volume each hour. That works out at roughly 970–1,215 litres per hour. Treat this as the rated starting point, then arrange outlets so they circulate water around the structures and maintain surface movement without blasting the fish’s preferred crevices.

The same profile estimates about 125–175 W across two heaters for a 243-litre aquarium in a room near 20°C. Using two heaters spreads the heating load, but their combined rating still needs to match the aquarium and room. Place them where circulated water carries warmth away from the elements rather than leaving a poorly mixed warm pocket behind rockwork.

Hold hard, alkaline water steady through regular testing

Choose a stable operating point within 24–27°C, pH 8.0–8.6 and 12–18 dGH, then make sure every proposed companion fits the same range. OATA also gives 10–15 dKH for African lake cichlids. Carbonate hardness supports the alkaline conditions expected by this group, but measure the aquarium rather than relying on the label attached to a substrate or rock.

Use the water chemistry guide to identify the values to measure and the water matcher to compare those readings with the routine range. Record results on the same day each week. A sequence shows whether pH, hardness or nitrogen waste is changing; an isolated result gives no trend.

Keep nitrogen waste within clear limits

Ammonia and nitrite should remain at zero milligrams per litre. OATA says nitrate should not exceed 20 mg/l above the normal tap-water level. That wording matters: test the replacement water as well as the aquarium. If the tap water reads 10 mg/l nitrate, the corresponding upper aquarium limit is 30 mg/l. If the tap reading changes, recalculate from the new baseline rather than preserving an old ceiling.

Water testing should happen before the fish is selected, not after it enters an unsuitable system. Confirm that the aquarium can hold the intended temperature and chemistry through ordinary weekly maintenance. If another species needs values outside this range, reject that combination rather than forcing one fish to live at the edge of its needs.

Protect the biological filter and remove waste every week

A mature biological filter is essential because fish release toxic ammonia. The RSPCA explains that filter bacteria convert ammonia to nitrite and then to the safer nitrate. That process only works reliably when the filter is established, maintained and matched to the waste produced by the aquarium.

If this is a new setup, complete the first tropical aquarium preparation and maturation steps before choosing livestock. Additions increase both feeding and waste, so introduce fish gradually enough for the bacterial population to respond. OATA warns that stocking too quickly can cause new tank syndrome when nitrifying bacteria cannot process the increased ammonia and nitrite.

Use a weekly maintenance sequence

1. Test first: record ammonia, nitrite and nitrate before disturbing the aquarium.
2. Siphon visible waste: concentrate on sand edges, gaps behind rocks and other collection points.
3. Change water: OATA strongly recommends a 25% partial water change at least once every week, while Seriously Fish says weekly changes of up to 50% should be considered mandatory for this species.
4. Condition replacement water: neutralise chlorine or chloramine before it enters the aquarium.
5. Check the filter: inspect intakes and outlets for blockages and confirm normal circulation.
6. Clean media carefully: when cleaning is needed, rinse it lightly in removed aquarium water rather than under the tap.

For an aquarium holding about 243 litres before displacement, 25% is roughly 61 litres and 50% is roughly 122 litres. Actual water volume will be lower after rocks, substrate and equipment displace water, so calculate the practical change using the filled system. The important decision is to establish a repeatable weekly routine that keeps nitrogen readings and visible debris within control.

Review the first month as a trend

Compare weekly tests with feeding and maintenance notes. Rising nitrate alongside food trapped behind rocks points towards portion control and more thorough siphoning. Reduced outlet flow points towards a blockage check. Detectable ammonia or nitrite requires immediate attention to water quality and stocking load; do not wait for visible illness before responding.

Feed a specialised carnivore without polluting the rockwork

Altolamprologus compressiceps searches cracks for animal prey. Seriously Fish describes a natural diet of invertebrates, crustaceans and smaller fish, with shrimp accounting for more than 80% of stomach contents in one wild study. In the aquarium, use suitable animal-based foods while maintaining variety and controlling the amount that disappears into inaccessible gaps.

Most captive fish may accept dried food, but the species profile favours live or frozen bloodworm, Tubifex, Artemia, chopped prawns, small earthworms and similar choices. A quality dried food, freeze-dried bloodworm or freeze-dried Artemia can also form part of the rotation. Offer pieces the selected animal can take easily rather than dropping large chunks beside a smaller mouth.

Follow an observed twice-daily routine

OATA advises feeding African lake cichlids twice a day and giving only what they can eat within a few minutes. For this deliberate rock-associated feeder, “eaten” means seeing the individual take food. It does not mean watching faster fish clear the open water while portions intended for the Compressiceps vanish behind stones.

1. Place a small portion where the fish can see it near its normal rock boundary.
2. Watch whether it leaves cover and takes the food without being displaced.
3. Offer the next small portion only while feeding remains active.
4. Stop within a few minutes and remove reachable excess.
5. Reduce the next feed if uneaten food collects in the sand or rock gaps.

Do not use feeder fish

Seriously Fish says feeder livebearers or small goldfish bring a risk of parasite or disease introduction and tend to have poor nutritional value unless properly conditioned. They add no benefit to the feeding plan described above. Use the named prepared, frozen, freeze-dried or appropriate live invertebrate foods instead.

Prepare the aquarium before the arrival day

Finish the rockwork, establish the filter and confirm the water readings before the fish travels. The aquarium should already hold 24–27°C, pH 8.0–8.6 and 12–18 dGH, with ammonia and nitrite at zero. Make sure the intended shelter remains usable after equipment, substrate and other territories are in place.

Check the attendance requirements on the current delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy. Live fish must not be left unattended, so someone must be present to receive the parcel.

Follow the arrival and acclimatisation steps

1. Receive the parcel in person: do not leave live fish unattended.
2. Start filming before opening: show the parcel still sealed with the outer box visible.
3. Open it continuously: keep filming in one continuous take.
4. Show the fish in the sealed bag: record its condition before anything is disturbed.
5. Float the bag: float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing the fish.
6. Keep bag water out: never pour the bag water into the aquarium.

Use OATA’s settling-in checks

OATA advises checking that ammonia and nitrite are zero before adding fish and increasing livestock numbers slowly so the biological filter can adjust to the extra waste and feeding. After release, watch swimming, breathing, feeding and interactions with established fish.

Use the first hours to assess access, not colour

Confirm that the fish can remain upright, breathe without continuing distress and enter a shelter without being driven out. A new arrival may use cover, so judge the situation by access and physical condition rather than demanding immediate open swimming. Do not identify sex or infer a size-related life stage from colour after transport.

Check the first week against the plan

• Confirm that the individual takes correctly sized food during observed feeds.
• Inspect the sand and crevices for portions that were missed.
• Watch whether another fish controls the only feeding lane or refuge.
• Maintain the established test and water-change routine.
• Act on changes in breathing, balance, feeding or social access rather than waiting for physical damage.

Respond to changes in breathing, feeding and behaviour early

Healthy fish should have clear, bright eyes, intact scales and undamaged fins, without ulcers or bumps. OATA recommends watching each fish’s normal swimming, colour, temperament, breathing, appearance, body condition and feeding. A change from that individual’s usual pattern is more useful than comparing it with a fish that behaves differently.

Pair each warning sign with a direct check

Begin with measurable causes. Ammonia and nitrite should be zero, temperature should remain within 24–27°C, and the fish should be able to leave another animal’s space. Correcting a water-quality or access problem starts with identifying which reading or interaction changed.

Look beyond obvious chasing

Social exclusion can appear as repeated retreat rather than continuous attack. A fish may lose access to the preferred crevice or feeding lane without showing torn fins. Watch the whole sequence: where it waits, whether it approaches food, which animal interrupts it and where it is forced to move. That pattern tells you whether the immediate decision concerns water, feeding delivery or separation.

If changes continue after the water and social checks, contact us with the test results, aquarium dimensions, stocking details and a clear description of the signs. Those details make the health discussion specific to the animal and setup.

Plan pairs and groups before combining animals

Seriously Fish recommends maintaining Altolamprologus compressiceps as a single pair, while groups can be kept in larger aquaria. That is a social-care recommendation, not a statement that two independently selected animals form a pair. Selecting two supplies two individual animals, and their relationship must be judged through behaviour over time.

Plan the long-term social arrangement before adding more than one. A group needs more aquarium space than the 120 × 45 cm base used for the species minimum, but no fixed larger group volume applies to every combination. The number and placement of rock structures, the other territories and the ability to separate incompatible animals all affect the decision.

Use behaviour to judge the arrangement

• Each animal should be able to approach food without being intercepted every time.
• A fish should be able to leave a rock face without crossing the only dominant cave entrance.
• Repeated exclusion from shelter or the lower aquarium requires action even without fin damage.
• Groups need several functional boundaries rather than a larger version of one central pile.
• A separation aquarium or divider should be ready before social pressure becomes persistent.

Understand breeding behaviour without assuming a breeding pair

The species is a substrate spawner that uses crevices or cavities among rocks. Seriously Fish describes a cavity narrow enough for the female to enter, with the male departing after fertilisation and the female guarding the brood during incubation for three to five days. Parental care ends when the fry become free-swimming. This behaviour explains why access to a particular crevice may become more important and why relationships can change around spawning.

Growth is described as slow, and sexual maturity may take a year or more. Do not use a dispatch selection, photograph, colour or fin shape as a shortcut to sex or maturity. Keep the purchase decision tied to the selected size and the social decision tied to observed interactions.

Exclude prey-sized animals and diet mismatches first

Seriously Fish describes this cichlid as not particularly territorial and suitable for a well-chosen Tanganyikan community, but it should not live with anything small enough to be considered food. That distinction matters. A fish can be relatively restrained in territorial behaviour and still be an efficient predator with mouthparts adapted to extracting prey from crevices.

Apply the firm exclusions

Screen every remaining candidate

A promising companion should overlap at 24–27°C, pH 8.0–8.6 and 12–18 dGH, remain too large to be food, and eat a compatible diet. It must also use the aquarium without taking every crevice or preventing observed feeding. Shared Lake Tanganyika origin is useful context, but it does not answer those individual questions.

Browse the African cichlid collection for comparison, then assess each animal by its own adult size, water range, social structure, diet and space use. A collection link is not a cohabitation recommendation.

Compatibility remains specific to the aquarium and individuals. Before combining unfamiliar cichlids, contact us with the aquarium dimensions, current occupants, measured water values and intended size selection for a stocking assessment.

Introduce companions in a controlled order and watch access

Once a candidate passes the prey, water and diet screens, examine territory and introduction order. OATA recommends adding more peaceful African lake cichlids before more aggressive species. It also advises increasing the population slowly so the biological filter can respond to the extra waste and feeding.

Map the usable space before adding a fish

Draw the 120 × 45 cm minimum base and mark the existing rock piles, caves and clear feeding lanes. Then identify which fish controls each area. A crevice shown on the drawing is not truly usable if the only route into it passes another cichlid’s defended entrance. The new animal needs both a refuge and a route away from pressure.

1. Confirm that the candidate is too large to be food at its selected size and as the Compressiceps grows.
2. Check complete overlap in temperature, pH and hardness.
3. Compare diets and reject a mix that forces either species onto unsuitable food.
4. Identify separate shelter and swimming zones rather than relying on total litres alone.
5. Decide how an excluded fish would be separated before the introduction takes place.
6. Add livestock slowly and test ammonia and nitrite after the biological load changes.

Use décor changes for a social reset

OATA notes that rearranging aquarium décor can reduce aggression as fish establish new territories. If established occupants control all useful boundaries, adjust the layout before the newcomer enters rather than placing it directly into a settled territorial map. Keep every rock stable on the base while changing the visible boundaries.

Judge the result through access

Watch whether the Compressiceps can hold a position, withdraw, and take food within a few minutes. Also watch the existing fish: a combination has failed if another animal loses its normal shelter or feeding route. Persistent hiding, altered aggression, rapid breathing or reduced feeding are reasons to intervene.

No fixed list can predict the temperament of every individual or the effect of every hardscape. Use the screening sequence for the initial decision, then let observed access to food, shelter and escape routes decide whether the arrangement continues.

Answer the key questions before choosing a size

How big does Titcha Mandarin Compressiceps get?

FishBase records a maximum adult length of 12.3 cm for Titcha Mandarin Compressiceps; plan the aquarium around that adult size rather than its dispatch size.

What size aquarium does it need?

Plan at least a 120 × 45 cm base or equivalent and about 243 litres, following the Seriously Fish species profile; place stable rock structures directly on the aquarium base before adding sand.

How many Altolamprologus compressiceps should I keep together?

Seriously Fish recommends keeping Altolamprologus compressiceps as a single pair, while groups can be maintained in larger aquaria; two selected animals are not an established pair.

Is Titcha Mandarin Compressiceps suitable for beginners?

Titcha Mandarin Compressiceps suits a prepared keeper who can maintain hard, alkaline water, high water quality, secure rockwork and carefully screened companions; OATA describes African lake cichlids as usually undemanding and easy to keep.

What does this fish eat?

Feed dried, live, frozen or freeze-dried animal-based foods twice daily, using choices such as bloodworm, Tubifex, Artemia, chopped prawns or small earthworms and offering only what it eats within a few minutes.

What temperature and pH does Titcha Mandarin Compressiceps need?

Keep Titcha Mandarin Compressiceps within the Seriously Fish and OATA overlap of 24–27°C, pH 8.0–8.6 and 12–18 dGH, with ammonia and nitrite at zero.

Is Altolamprologus compressiceps aggressive or likely to nip fins?

Seriously Fish describes Altolamprologus compressiceps as not particularly territorial, but it is predatory towards animals small enough to be food; monitor access to rock shelters and feeding lanes.

Which animals can it live with?

Choose a well-planned Lake Tanganyika community whose members match its water and diet needs and are too large to be food. Avoid prey-sized animals, Tropheus, species requiring a low-protein diet, Malawi cichlids and different geographic populations of this species.

How does it arrive alive in the UK?

Start filming the sealed parcel before opening it, then record the continuous opening with the fish still in its sealed bag. Someone must be present to receive the parcel; float the bag for 20–30 minutes before release and never pour the bag water into the aquarium.

References for identity and aquarium planning

• FishBase: Altolamprologus compressiceps — scientific identity, distribution, wild environmental values and maximum recorded length.
• Seriously Fish: Altolamprologus compressiceps — aquarium dimensions, water conditions, layout, feeding, behaviour and reproduction.
• OATA: African lake cichlids — water-quality, feeding, maintenance, introduction and compatibility guidance for the group.
• RSPCA aquarium environment guidance — biological filtration and nitrogen-waste processing.
• Tropical Fish Co delivery policy — attendance, unboxing-video, acclimatisation and Live Arrival Guarantee conditions.