Neolamprologus

Neolamprologus boulengeri is a small shell-dwelling cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, found along the Tanzanian shoreline in the north of the lake. It lives among scattered rocks and open sand littered with empty snail shells. It is told apart from N. hecqui and Lamprologus kungweensis by the orange border on its dorsal and anal fins, and it will spawn in small caves if no shells are available.

Neolamprologus brevis is a shell-dwelling cichlid found widely throughout Lake Tanganyika, and one of the commoner shell dwellers in the hobby. Where few snail shells collect, pairs share the same shell. Its territories are usually no more than 6" across but are defended vigorously. It is told apart from the similar Neolamprologus ocellatus by the vertical barring on its flanks.

Neolamprologus brichardi is a small cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, found mainly over rocky shores in the northern half of the lake. Known in the hobby as the Princess of Burundi, it lives in large colonies where older young help their parents guard each new brood. It is very like N. pulcher and is told apart by the T-shaped pair of bars on its gill cover. The two hybridise, so they should not be kept together.

The striped lamprologus, Neolamprologus buescheri, is a cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, found around the southern part of the lake. One of the most aggressive small cichlids in the hobby, it is not recommended for the beginner and needs plenty of caves for subdominant fish. Several geographical morphs are available, including 'gombi', 'kachese', 'kamakonde' and 'zaire'.

Neolamprologus callipterus is a shell-brooding cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, in which males grow many times larger than females. Males must be large enough to carry snail shells and females small enough to fit inside them, and in nature the nests of large males can measure several metres across. Males are territorial and aggressive, and the species is not very popular in the hobby because of its relatively drab colouration and aggressive nature.

Affectionately referred to as 'Puncs', the caudopunctatus is a social and active dwarf cichlid endemic to the rocky and intermediate areas of shallow waters in Lake Tanganyika. A substrate-spawning rock dweller in nature, 'Puncs' are also opportunistic shell dwellers in home aquaria.

The barred lamprologus, Neolamprologus fasciatus, is a predatory cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, living mainly in rocky areas. Its laterally compressed body lets it enter crevices in the rockwork to prey on invertebrates, eggs, fry and small fish. It is sometimes confused with juvenile Altolamprologus but has a blue-green iris and a more elongate body.

The sunflower lamprologus, Neolamprologus helianthus, is a cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, described from Kamakonde on the southwestern shore. A member of the 'Brichardi complex', it is told apart from the others by its overall yellow-orange patterning and v-shaped cheek marking. Species in the complex hybridise freely and should not be mixed in aquaria.

Neolamprologus kungweensis is a territorial cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it lives over open mud flats at 10 to 50 m and digs tunnels in the firm mud. It can be recognised by the gold on top of the eye and a black spot towards the back of the dorsal fin. It uses snail shells only occasionally in the wild. In the aquarium it breeds in them, and it needs a deep soft substrate to dig in and more empty snail shells than there are fish. It is not often seen in the hobby.

The lemon cichlid, Neolamprologus leleupi, is a cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, found over rocky shorelines in the south of the lake. It is not as easy to maintain as its popularity suggests, being intolerant of conspecifics and sensitive to deteriorating water conditions. The darker N. l. melas lives alongside the yellow form in nature, an example of polychromatism.

Lemaire's lamprologus, Neolamprologus lemairii, is a piscivorous cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, growing to around 25 cm. An ambush predator, it lies motionless on the substrate so that its mottled pattern makes it appear dead to the smaller fish that come to investigate. It is unsuited to the general aquarium and should be kept alone, with tankmates too large to be considered food. In nature it spawns in caves.

Neolamprologus marunguensis is a cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, found over rocky shorelines around the southwestern shore of the lake. It has a deeply forked tail and was previously sold as Neolamprologus sp. 'walteri'. Relatively peaceful, it becomes very territorial when breeding and is best kept in a species tank.

Neolamprologus multifasciatus is a shell-brooding cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, and probably the smallest known cichlid species. It lives in fairly deep water around the shoreline, over soft substrates where the empty shells of snails collect. Each fish defends a territory usually no more than 6" across, and a group kept with more shells than fish will form a colony.

The ocellated shell-dweller, Neolamprologus ocellatus, is a small shell-brooding cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika. It buries its shell until only the entrance shows and defends it vigorously, sometimes burying neighbouring shells as well to keep other fish out. Males grow much larger than females, and a gold morph has become popular in the hobby. The lack of vertical barring on the flanks separates it from the similar N. brevis.

Neolamprologus olivaceous is a cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it is found only in Luhanga Bay. A member of the so-called 'Brichardi complex', it hybridises freely with the others and should not be mixed with them in aquaria. The two curved markings on the gill cover distinguish it within the complex, and Konings (1993) proposed that it may be synonymous with N. pulcher.

Known in the hobby as the brichardi, Neolamprologus pulcher is a cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it lives over rocky shoreline. It is sold as the fairy cichlid, lyretail cichlid and princess of Burundi, and is easy to keep and breed. It is aggressively territorial, especially when guarding fry, and in nature occurs in shoals of many thousands. Species in the 'Brichardi complex' hybridise freely and should not be mixed.

The striped brichardi, Neolamprologus savoryi, is a rock-dwelling cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika. A member of the so-called 'Brichardi complex', it hybridises freely with the others and should not be mixed with them in aquaria. Its pattern of vertical bars distinguishes it within the complex. An aggressive, territorial species, it is best kept in a species tank.

The six-barred lamprologus, Neolamprologus sexfasciatus, is a predatory cichlid from the southern part of Lake Tanganyika. It occurs only between Cape Tembwe and Karema, in shallow rocky areas and intermediate zones. Several geographical morphs are available, including 'Sambia' and 'Kipili', varying in base colour from blue to yellow to white. Its aggressive and predatory nature rules it out of the general Tanganyikan community, and only a single pair should be kept.

Neolamprologus signatus is a shell-brooding cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, known from Moba in DR Congo south to Cape Kapembwa in Zambia. Males and females look very different. Males grow larger and have vertical bars on the flanks, and females have none. Only one male should be kept unless the aquarium is large.

Neolamprologus similis is a small shell-dwelling cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, and one of the less frequently seen shelldwellers in the hobby. It lives around the shoreline over soft substrates where empty snail shells collect, and defends a territory usually no more than 6" across. Light stripes and additional barring on the head and neck separate it from the similar N. multifasciatus.

Neolamprologus speciosus is a shell-brooding cichlid endemic to the south-western end of Lake Tanganyika. Very similar to N. ocellatus, it often carries the trade name 'black ocellatus', and it lives alongside N. stappersi in nature. Males are much larger than females, and it breeds quite easily in snail shells that females bury until only the entrance is visible.

Neolamprologus stappersi is a shell-brooding cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, found on the Congo side of the lake between Moliro and Kalemie. Originally thought to be a morph of N. ocellatus, it is still occasionally offered as 'pearly ocellatus' and may be seen under the invalid name L. meleagris. It defends its shell and the small territory around it vigorously, and dried foods are sometimes refused.

The five-barred lamprologus, Neolamprologus tretocephalus, is an aggressive cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika. It lives in relatively shallow water over rocky areas and intermediate zones with scattered rocks. Five vertical bars on the flanks, against six in N. sexfasciatus, separate the two species. Its aggression, particularly when breeding, rules it out of the general Tanganyikan community.