博氏新亮丽鲷

Overview

Neolamprologus boulengeri is a small shell-dwelling cichlid that strongly defends its shell and surrounding floor. Its size does not remove the need for territories, particularly when several males are kept.

Distribution & habitat

It is endemic to northern Lake Tanganyika along the Tanzanian shore, using sandy areas with scattered rocks and empty snail shells.

Aquarium setup

Leave extensive open sand and provide more shells than fish. A layer around five centimeters deep permits digging and shell burial. Maintain hard alkaline water. Multiple males need separate shell areas rather than one crowded cluster.

Diet & feeding

Live and frozen foods should make up most of the menu, though dry foods are usually accepted. A varied diet helps condition breeders.

Behaviour & compatibility

The shell territory is defended vigorously. Suitable small rock dwellers or open-water Tanganyikan fishes can use different areas. A colony needs ample shells and more females than males. Wild male territories can occupy approximately a thirty-centimeter square, so allow adequate floor space for several males.

Sexual dimorphism

Appearance is not a reliable guide, though adult males are larger. Frequent male displays toward females provide an additional behavioral clue.

Breeding

A male with three or four females can breed in shells. He excavates a depression containing several shells; a female selects one and buries it until only the opening remains. Eggs are laid inside. As she reverses out, sperm is carried into the shell. The female then guards its entrance while the male patrols the wider area.

Broods can reach around sixty eggs, hatching in approximately three days. Free swimming begins around day ten, when Artemia nauplii or microworms are suitable. Young leave parental protection relatively early and may be eaten by other colony members. Separate rearing can improve survival.

Notes

Orange edging on the dorsal and anal fins helps distinguish similar fishes. Small caves may be used when shells are unavailable, but shells remain the appropriate basis for the aquarium arrangement.