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Encyclopedia / African Cichlids / Dickfeld's julie
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Variations

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Dickfeld's julie

Julidochromis dickfeldi · Dickfeldi, Julidochromis dickfeldi, Brown julie, Dickfeld's julidochromis

Pairs form strong bonds; keep a single pair in a tank with rock piles and avoid aggressive tank-mates.

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10 cmBody length, without tail ✓
24–27 °CTemperature ✓
8–9pH ✓
68 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Dickfeld's julie is tropical.
  • Rift lake cichlids like dickfeld's julie need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Dickfeld's julie only grows to 10 cm.
  • Rift lake cichlids like dickfeld's julie need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (24–27 °C vs 10–22 °C). No setting suits both.
  • Rift lake cichlids like dickfeld's julie need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like dickfeld's julie need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like dickfeld's julie need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Their pH needs don't quite meet (8–9 vs 4.5–7). Aim between the two and keep it steady.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

64 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓10–25 dGH
Group size ✓2 or more
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ?All levels
Care level ?Hard
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 4–7 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Pairs form strong bonds; keep a single pair in a tank with rock piles and avoid aggressive tank-mates.

  • cave

Food

Cichlid pellets, frozen brine shrimp, daphnia and small flakes.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Difficult to sex; adult females are generally larger than males.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Cave spawner (pair bond) · Moderate

Cave spawner; the female lays eggs on the wall or roof of a cave and the pair guards them.

Pairing

Buy a group of 6 and let a pair form, or buy a proven pair; keep a pair per tank to avoid fights.

Setup

100-150 L tank with rock piles creating narrow caves and slits, hard alkaline water (pH 8-9) and strong filtration.

What starts it

Stable pair bond, good conditioning and a cave that fits the female.

Eggs

Up to 100 eggs but usually far fewer, laid on the cave wall or roof; they hatch in 2-3 days.

Raising the fry

Fry hide in the cave and become free swimming after a week. Feed microworms and newly hatched brine shrimp; parents tolerate and often protect them.

Common mistakes
  • Mixing several pairs in a small tank
  • Giving caves that are too big
  • Using soft water
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionLake Tanganyika – south-western part
Rivers and lakesLake Tanganyika (Zambia & DR Congo coasts)
HabitatRocky slopes
Native rangeAbout 100 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the dickfeld's julie

Described by Staeck in 1975, the brown julie comes from rocky shores in the southwest of Lake Tanganyika, where it holds a territory around a rock crack and picks small crustaceans off the rocks. Some scientists question whether it belongs in Julidochromis. IUCN lists it as Near Threatened (2025).

German cichlid author Wolfgang Staeck described this julie in 1975. It is known from the south-western part of the lake. It shows a blue-edged tail and stripes on a pale body.

First described by Wolfgang Staeck in 1975.

  • Its fins have bright blue edges.
  • It lives along rocky slopes in pairs.
  • It is mid-sized for a julie, around 10 cm.

Sources

15 facts checked with sources