Regan's Julie
Julidochromis regani
Cichlidae
About
Regan's julie is the longest of the Julidochromis cichlids, an elongate, cigar-shaped fish endemic to Lake Tanganyika. Three to five bold black stripes run horizontally along a cream to yellow body, and the exact pattern changes with the collection point, from thin Kipili lines to the heavy bars of Kigoma and Burundi fish. Unlike its cave-bound relatives it ventures well out over sand between rock piles, but it still centres its life on one crevice. Adults settle into a lifelong monogamous pair that guards that cave fiercely against its own kind while largely ignoring unrelated tankmates.
Care
Keep one bonded pair in hard, alkaline Tanganyikan water (pH 8.2-8.8, high GH) at 24-26 C, over sand with generous rock piles and caves, in a tank of at least 120 cm and roughly 180 L. Buy five or six juveniles and pull the surplus out the moment a pair forms, because the pair will hound the rest to death; in a cramped tank the bond itself can turn lethal and one partner kills the other. Avoid very large single water changes, which can set a settled pair fighting.
Diet
Omnivorous rock grazer. Feed frozen or live cyclops, mysis, brine shrimp and daphnia as the mainstay, backed by a sinking cichlid granule and a little spirulina or blanched greens; keep portions small.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (147)
Avoid (124)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Extended finsStrong · from about 8 months, and later in a suppressed male
On many cichlids and killifish the male's dorsal and anal fins draw out into trailing points as he matures, while the female's stay rounded.
- VentingA hint only · only on a mature fish, easiest when she is in breeding condition
The method breeders use when the answer has to be right. Hold the fish upside down in a wet hand or soft net and look at the two openings ahead of the anal fin. The forward one is the anus; the one behind it is what you are reading.
- Adult sizeA hint only · only across animals of the same age
In many cichlids, catfish and loaches one sex simply grows larger — usually the male, though there are well-known reversals.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Regan's Julie need?
- A Regan's Julie needs an aquarium of at least 180 litres (47.6 US gallons) with a footprint at least 120 cm (47.2 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Regan's Julie need?
- Regan's Julie does best at 23–27 °C (73.4–80.6 °F), pH 7.5–9.2 and a general hardness of 8–25 °dGH.
- What group size does a Regan's Julie need?
- Regan's Julie is a social species — keep a group of at least 2 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Regan's Julie suitable for beginners?
- Regan's Julie sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.