Remarks: Julidochromis regani “Midnight” is one of the many localities ofJulidochromis regani in the hobby. These fish have dark brown or tan bodies beneath their black stripes with males turning almost completely black when courting females or sparring. When their blue and yellow accents come through, they can look stunning against such a dark fish. They are known from the deeper sections of the lake where this darker coloration helps them blend in.

Julidochromis regani, also known as Regan’s Julie, are one of the largestJulidochromisspecies that are found almost all throughout Lake Tanganyika. Like all Julidochromis,this species sports a torpedo-shaped body and a fairly small mouth. There are a number of localities available in the hobby whose colors can range anywhere from golden yellow to almost completely black. The baseJulidochromis regani displays multiple horizontal black stripes against a white or yellow base along the entire length of their body all the way up to their mouths. Occasionally they will get blue accents in their ornately patterned fins adding extra color to an already beautiful fish.

In the wild, Julidochromis regani inhabit rocky areas of the lake and can often be seen hovering upside-down below a rocky outcropping. If provided a similar set up with plenty of rockwork and decor, they are very likely to also display this behavior in captivity which can be fascinating to watch. This will also create multiple territories which will help reduce aggression if keeping multiple pairs together. While Julidochromis reganiare fairly peaceful to non-conspecifics that aren’t small enough to be eaten, they can become very territorial. So, while a 30 gallon is enough for one pair, 50 gallons are more are recommended for a group.

Julies make for an excellent candidate for a breeder looking to try Tanganyikan cichlids, as they are cave spawners and tend to produce quite a few fry, which they raise for several weeks. Sexing is nearly impossible, so young groups should be kept together until they pair off. Keeping them at a high pH and a high TDS will help keep these fish healthy and can help encourage spawning. Feeding a high quality diet high in insect and crustacean protein along with the occasional algae/vegetable based food will also help in getting them to breed.