Edit Neolamprologus pulcher

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Name

Scientific name

Neolamprologus pulcher

Described by

Authority Trewavas & Poll, Year 1952, Bracketed

Family

Cichlidae

Common names

Brichardi

Photograph credits

All 2 credited

Summary

Known in the hobby as the brichardi, Neolamprologus pulcher is a cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it lives over rocky shoreline. I…

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

72mm, total length

Aquarium size

Minimum length 120 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm

Water

Water conditions

Temperature 23–27°C, pH 8–9

Hardness

9–25dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Species tank only

Community suitability

Not for a community

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Burundi, DR Congo, Tanzania, Zambia, Lake Tanganyika

Writing

Etymology

Not written yet

Distribution

Endemic to Lake Tanganyika, mainly in the southern half of the lake, where it replaces N. brichardi, with type locality the town of Kasanga in southwestern Tan…

Habitat

Areas of shoreline with rocky substrates.

Aquarium size

Single fish or pairs can be kept in quite small aquaria but if you want to see it display natural cooperative breeding behaviour (see 'Reproduction') use somet…

Maintenance

Should be housed in a Lake Tanganyika biotope set-up, with piles of rocks arranged to form caves filling much of the aquarium. A sandy substrate is preferable.

Water conditions

Not written yet

Diet

Live and frozen foods should comprise a large proportion of the diet. Dried foods can be fed, but less often. Some vegetable matter, such as spirulina or blanc…

Behaviour and compatibility

Not an ideal resident of the community aquarium since it's aggressively territorial, especially when protecting fry, and is therefore best kept in a species ta…

Not an ideal resident of the community aquarium since it's aggressively territorial, especially when protecting fry, and is therefore best kept in a species tank under most circumstances.

In large set-ups it can be maintained successfully with other small to medium-sized Tanganyikan cichlids that occupy different areas of the tank such as Cyprichromis or shell-dwelling species.

Other rockdwellers such as Julidochromis or Altolamprologus are only possibilities if the tank is large enough and sufficient territories and broken lines-of-sight are provided.

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Where does this come from?

My own experienceFor example, I've kept twelve in a planted 60 cm tank since March 2024.A website I sawFor example, an IUCN Red List assessment, a museum catalogue or a FishBase page.A paperFor example, Marshall et al. (2011), Water temperature differences in interfluvial palm swamp habitats of Paracheirodon axelrodi and P. simulans.A book, or something not onlineFor example, Tappin (2010), Rainbowfishes: their care and keeping in captivity.Something already on the pageFor example, the Behaviour and compatibility section already says this.

Web address

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DOI

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Title

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Authors

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Year

Journal or publisher

Pages

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Anything worth adding

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Sexual dimorphism

Adult males are usually slightly larger and develop longer extensions to the dorsal and caudal fins than females.

Reproduction

This species is a substrate-spawner depositing its eggs on the roof of rocky caves in nature, and is easily-bred in aquaria. Unless a bonded adult pair is avai…

Notes

Deservedly one of the most popular Tanganyikan species available in the hobby, N. pulcher is ideal for newcomers to both Rift Lake cichlids and cichlids in gen…

References

1 on this profile

Name

Scientific name

Described by

Family

Common names

Photograph credits

Summary

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

Aquarium size

Water

Water conditions

Hardness

Conductivity

Behaviour

Temperament

Social needs

Community suitability

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Writing

Etymology

Distribution

Habitat

Aquarium size

Maintenance

Water conditions

Diet

Behaviour and compatibility

Sexual dimorphism

Reproduction

Notes

References

References