Photo: HblairH, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Lemon cichlid
Neolamprologus leleupi
10 cm
Adult size
180 L
Minimum volume
2
Minimum group
8 years
Lifespan
Water parameters
Understand these values- Genus
- Neolamprologus
- Diet
- carnivore
- Social life
- pair
In the wild
Overview
This lemon cichlid, a brilliant orange-yellow when healthy, is one of the most popular Tanganyikan cichlids. Yet it is less easy to keep than its popularity suggests, because of its intolerance of its own kind and its sensitivity to deteriorating water.
- Scientific name
- Neolamprologus leleupi (Poll, 1956)
- Classification
- Cichliformes › Cichlidae
- IUCN Red List
- Least concern (LC)
Natural habitat
Endemic to the southern half of Lake Tanganyika (DR Congo, Tanzania, Zambia)
Observations (GBIF) and localities Native countries Rivers and lakes
It lives in rocky coastal areas, usually deep in crevices, where it searches for invertebrates in the algae and nooks. Solitary in the wild, the male visits the females' caves to breed.
Behaviour
Aggressive and territorial when breeding, it is fairly calm the rest of the time. Keep it with small or medium Tanganyikan cichlids living elsewhere in the tank (Cyprichromis), or even with other rock fish (Julidochromis, Altolamprologus) in a large tank with enough territories. Never with mbuna or boisterous species. Mostly live and frozen prey, a little spirulina.
Sources:FishBase Seriously Fish GBIF · Base map: Natural Earth