Photo: Cedricguppy - Loury Cédric, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Ocellated shell-dweller
Lamprologus ocellatus
6 cm
Adult size
80 L
Minimum volume
2
Minimum group
5 years
Lifespan
Water parameters
Understand these values- Genus
- Lamprologus
- Diet
- carnivore
- Social life
- pair
In the wild
Overview
This tiny cichlid lives and breeds in empty shells of Neothauma snails. It has the endearing habit of burying its shell and defending it against all comers, sometimes by nipping the aquarist's hand; it also buries neighbouring shells to stop other fish moving in.
- Scientific name
- Lamprologus ocellatus (Steindachner, 1909)
- Classification
- Cichliformes › Cichlidae
- IUCN Red List
- Least concern (LC)
Natural habitat
Endemic to Lake Tanganyika (Burundi, DR Congo, Tanzania, Zambia)
Observations (GBIF) and localities Native countries Rivers and lakes
It lives in open sandy areas scattered with rocks, where the bottom is covered in empty snail shells. It is found in small groups, sometimes mixed with L. brevis, with which it may compete for shell beds.
Behaviour
It vigorously defends its shell and the small territory around it, but tolerates species from other zones of the tank: rock cichlids such as Neolamprologus brichardi or small Julidochromis, and Cyprichromis in open water. In a group it forms a colony: provide more shells than fish. Mostly live and frozen prey.
Sources:FishBase Seriously Fish GBIF · Base map: Natural Earth