Heinz Büscher interview

Attending cichlid focused events, meetings, and conventions offers many benefits. Not only do you get to meet and talk with fellow cichlid keepers from around the country, but you often get to hear presentations by scientists who have photographed, studied, and formally described the many species we keep in our tanks. Today’s interviewee is one such person.

I had the pleasure of meeting Heinz Büscher in November 2025 at the Ohio Cichlid Association’s annual Extravaganza. He gave an amazing presentation where he discussed the feeding habits of various Lake Tanganyikan species while showing some incredible photos and videos.

Having made more than 55 ichthyological expeditions to Lake Tanganyika, he is no stranger to the lake nor its fish. In fact, he is an expert on the Lamprologini tribe of cichlids, which are near and dear to my own heart. He has formally described species such as Neolamprologus marunguensis, N. similis, N. helianthus, Lamprologus speciosus, and L. meleagris, just to name a few. He also works closely with the Zoological Institute at the University of Basel (Salzburger Research Group), where he was awarded an honorary doctorate in 2013.

I caught up with Heinz a couple of weeks after the Extravaganza and asked him if he would be interested in doing an interview. Thankfully, he was gracious enough to agree and answer a few questions. Without further delay, let’s get started!

Results of your work led to the description of Neolamprologus similis, a species I have just begun working with. What stands out most to you about this little shell dweller?

I first discovered them on October 7, 1989. The location was approximately 5 km south of the village of Zongwe in Congo (formerly Zaire). The habitat consisted of small scree in an almost vertical rock face at a depth of about 30 meters. The animals lived in small scree caves on terraces. In August 1992, I described the species as Neolamprologis similis.

At the time of discovery, I believed that N. similis differed from N. multifasciatus, among other things, in the structure of its habitat. Later, I discovered that N. similis also lives in Neothauma shells (Tanzania) and N. multifasciatus also inhabits scree (Zambia). Key differences between the two species: N. similis is larger than N. multifasciatus in the wild and always displays the species-specific stripes on its head.

The name of this fish leads to another question. I have seen it listed as exLamprologus, neolamprologus, ‘Lamprologus’, and Lamprologus. Which is correct and can you explain these naming variations to readers?

The species of the tribe Lamprologini are very heterogeneous, and the genera within the tribe require revision to reflect their closer phylogenetic relationships. We know that the current genus names do not accurately reflect the true phylogenetic relationships.

However, changes to genus classification must be made according to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature. The last revision that met these criteria was carried out by Poll in 1986. In subsequent years, various scientists have proposed changes to genus classifications (‘…we recommend…or …we suggest…’). However, these recommendations do not comply with the Code. Additions such as ExZZZ… and genus names in quotation marks do not conform to the Code.

At the 2025 Ohio Cichlid Extravaganza, you gave a fantastic talk titled “Feeding Strategies in Lake Tang Species”. In that talk, you showed video of a species actively feeding, I believe Altolamprologus calvus, whose eye remained fixed on potential food while its body shifted positions. That was mesmerizing. Can you summarize the reason(s) for this capability and why it is unique?

I don’t have a definitive explanation, only a theory.

The fish swim horizontally in a ‘normal’ way. Their diet consists of small organisms that primarily live near the bottom (between rocks and in crevices). Perhaps they detect potential prey by observing its movements (even from a certain distance). They pause briefly for better perception and visual fixation. The eye remains in a fixed position. The swaying of the body could serve to bridge the relatively large distance between the eye and the snout and therefore increase a better visual perception.

Though I have several posts that discuss the pharyngeal jaws in fish, can you explain to the readers the purpose of this “extra set” of jaws?

For a long time, the robust pharyngeal jaws of cichlids (and other fish families) have been considered an evolutionary innovation. The presence of different types of teeth in the pharyngeal jaws enabled cichlids to consume a wide variety of food. Thanks to this development, the ‘normal jaws’ were relieved of the burden of acquiring and eating food.

When discussing this extra set of jaws, one must not ignore the disadvantages. The pharyngeal opening is reduced by the pharyngeal jaws. This is a disadvantage for cichlids, as it prolongs the feeding process. In Lake Victoria, this puts fish-eating cichlids at a particular disadvantage compared to the introduced (non-pharyngnathous) Nile perch, and their numbers were significantly depleted. In Lake Tanganyika, with its four Lates species, there has been a long history of co-evolution between Lates and cichlids.

Neolamprologus buescheri, named after you, is a beautiful little cichlid. Can you talk a little about this fish and how you first encountered it (e.g., where it’s found in Lake Tanganyika, what makes it unique)?

This species was my first discovery of a new cichlid (in Zambia) and therefore holds a special place in my heart. N. buescheri lives at depths greater than 15 meters among boulders. Few cichlid species inhabit this environment. During numerous trips, I discovered that the species is restricted to the southern part of the lake. The different color morphs are noteworthy. An article about the discovery, lifestyle, and distribution of this fish appears in the January 2026 issue of Cichlid News.

Based on your extensive travels to Lake Tanganyika over the years and your understanding of the import/export pressures surrounding fish from the lake, what do you see as the biggest threats to the cichlid hobby?

The color variations of some cichlid species are threatened by high fishing pressure. I heard this from collectors in Tanzania. These include the intensely orange-yellow colored N. longior and Tropheus duboisi with its yellow band.

In Zambia, I observed the decline of the Tropheus Ilangi variant. Its small distribution area lies within the Sumbu National Park, where illegal fishing has been rampant for a long time. When the population at a particular location decreases, neighboring fish migrate into the newly available habitats and interbreed with the remaining fish. This leads to the loss of characteristic color traits within a population. Overfishing also poses a threat to slow-growing Altolamprologus species.

If there is a species in the lake that interests you but which you haven’t studied much, which would it be and why?

Naturally, I’m interested in all species. Each species has its own little secrets, and I try to better understand observations made in the lake, which are often very limited in time, by observing them in the aquarium. There are also many species that I simply can’t keep in an aquarium. Of course, the reverse is also true. I try to better understand certain behaviors in nature that I can’t explain in the aquarium. Undoubtedly, observations of deep-dwelling species, such as Trematocara species and Baileychromis, are beyond my capabilities.

Lake Tanganyika is home to numerous fish (cichlids and non-cichlids). I don’t see it simply as a huge body of water in which fish swim. For me, it is a huge habitat in which fish interact with their living (e.g. sponges, snails, shrimp) and non-living environment. Understanding these relationships is also part of my interests.