''Lamprologus ocellatus'' is a species of shell dwelling

cichlid Cichlids are fish from the family Cichlidae in the order Cichliformes. Cichlids were traditionally classed in a suborder, the Labroidei, along with the wrasses ( Labridae), in the order Perciformes, but molecular studies have contradicted this ...

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

Lake Tanganyika Lake Tanganyika () is an African Great Lake. It is the second-oldest freshwater lake in the world, the second-largest by volume, and the second-deepest, in all cases after Lake Baikal in Siberia. It is the world's longest freshwater lake. ...

. It is a popular aquarium fish due to its small size, appearance, and intelligence. Juveniles measure about at hatching, while adults grow up to TL. They range in color from a light brownish color to a gold/yellow color. These fish, like all shell dwellers, live in snail shells. They live in colonies amongst each other and raise their young in the shells. Male ''Lamprologus ocellatus'' are larger, and have a yellow edge on the dorsal fin.

Aquarium care

''Lamprologus ocellatus'' are identified as African Cichlids in the

aquarium An aquarium (plural: ''aquariums'' or ''aquaria'') is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aq ...

trade. They are not a beginner's species. Instead, they appear in the tanks of more advanced hobbyists who specialize in fish hailing from Lake Tanganyika.

General tank requirements

''Lamprologus ocellatus'' can be maintained in aquariums as small as 5 gallons (19 L), although this would severely limit the number of specimens. One empty aquatic snail shell should be provided for each individual, along with a thin layer of silica sand.Smith, Mark Phillip: "Lake Tanganyikan Cichlids," page 56. Barron's Press, New York, 1998. Sand is not required for these fish to survive in captivity, but it allows them to display natural behavior. ''Lamprologus ocellatus'' use propeller-like motions of the tail to bury the shells that they reside in. This cannot be accomplished with heavier and larger-grain gravel. These fish are not considered to be an aggressive species in captivity. However, they will defend the shells that comprise their physical territory. They have even been known to attack the hands of aquarists.

Water quality

''Lamprologus ocellatus'' require the same water chemistry as other Tanganyikan species. The pH should be between 8.0 and 8.3 at a minimum (Lake Tanganyika's pH ranges between 8.7 and 9.4). Mineral hardness, or kH, should be between 12 and 14. Temperature should be between . Like all Tanganyikans, ''L. ocellatus'' are quite sensitive to the

nitrogen cycle The nitrogen cycle is the biogeochemical cycle by which nitrogen is converted into multiple chemical forms as it circulates among atmospheric, terrestrial, and marine ecosystems. The conversion of nitrogen can be carried out through both biologi ...

. The presence of

ammonia Ammonia is an inorganic compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . A stable binary hydride, and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinct pungent smell. Biologically, it is a common nitrogenous was ...

nitrite The nitrite polyatomic ion, ion has the chemical formula . Nitrite (mostly sodium nitrite) is widely used throughout chemical and pharmaceutical industries. The nitrite anion is a pervasive intermediate in the nitrogen cycle in nature. The name ...

can prove toxic to them. For this reason, good maintenance practices should be used. Adequate

filtration Filtration is a physical separation process that separates solid matter and fluid from a mixture using a ''filter medium'' that has a complex structure through which only the fluid can pass. Solid particles that cannot pass through the filter ...

is a necessity.

Feeding

''L. ocellatus'' are omnivorous, and will accept a wide variety of prepared aquarium foods including: flake, small pellets, frozen foods and live

brine shrimp ''Artemia'' is a genus of aquatic crustaceans also known as brine shrimp. It is the only genus in the family Artemiidae. The first historical record of the existence of ''Artemia'' dates back to the first half of the 10th century AD from Urmia La ...

daphnia ''Daphnia'' is a genus of small planktonic crustaceans, in length. ''Daphnia'' are members of the order Anomopoda, and are one of the several small aquatic crustaceans commonly called water fleas because their saltatory swimming style resembl ...

. New specimens may exhibit a reluctance to eat, and can be most effectively tempted with live food.Loiselle, Paul: "African Cichlids," page 44. Tetra Press, Virginia, 1988. In the home aquarium they should be fed according to the same nutritional principles as other African Cichlids. Namely:

Tubifex ''Tubifex'' is a cosmopolitan genus of tubificid annelids that inhabits the sediments of lakes, rivers and occasionally sewer lines. At least 13 species of ''Tubifex'' have been identified, with the exact number not certain, as the species are ...

worms should never be offered, as they can cause fatal systemic

bacterial Bacteria (; singular: bacterium) are ubiquitous, mostly free-living organisms often consisting of one biological cell. They constitute a large domain of prokaryotic microorganisms. Typically a few micrometres in length, bacteria were among ...

diseases. High

protein Proteins are large biomolecules and macromolecules that comprise one or more long chains of amino acid residues. Proteins perform a vast array of functions within organisms, including catalysing metabolic reactions, DNA replication, respo ...

diets or diets that exclude vegetable matter should be avoided. The fish should be fed as much as they can consume in five minutes, and overfeeding should be avoided. A weekly fast day can be beneficial, as it allows the intestinal tract to be purged. Finally, ''Lamprologus ocellatus'' are similar to other African Cichlids in that their coloring will benefit from a diet containing quantities of beta-carotene and

canthaxanthin Canthaxanthin is a keto-carotenoid pigment widely distributed in nature. Carotenoids belong to a larger class of phytochemicals known as terpenoids. The chemical formula of canthaxanthin is C40H52O2. It was first isolated in edible mushrooms. It ...

Tankmates

It is critical that ''L. ocellatus'' not be kept with more aggressive, predatory or larger tankmates. Due to their tiny size, they would either be eaten or harassed. It is also inappropriate to keep these fish with

Mbuna Mbuna (pronounced Mmm-boo - nah ) is the common name for a large group of African cichlids from Lake Malawi, and are members of the haplochromine family. The name ''mbuna'' means "rockfish" in the language of the Tonga people of Malawi.Loiselle ...

, the larger cichlids that hail from neighboring

Lake Malawi Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania and Lago Niassa in Mozambique, is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system, located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. It is the fifth largest fre ...

. Greatest success will be achieved if tankmates from the natural

biotope A biotope is an area of uniform environmental conditions providing a living place for a specific assemblage of plants and animals. ''Biotope'' is almost synonymous with the term "habitat", which is more commonly used in English-speaking countrie ...

of this species are used. Good choices include (but are not limited to) variants of the ''

Julidochromis ''Julidochromis'' is a genus of cichlids in the subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae. They are commonly called julies and are endemic to Lake Tanganyika in eastern Africa. This genus includes six formally described species, some with a number local vari ...

'', ''

Cyprichromis ''Cyprichromis'' is a genus of cichlids with five species. They are also known as the herring cichlids or sardine cichlids, since they form large schools in the open water of Lake Tanganyika. Of the known species, only '' C. microlepidotus'' has ...

'' and ''

Synodontis ''Synodontis'' is the largest genus of mochokid catfishes. It is the biggest genus within the 10 genera and 190 different species in the family Mochokidae. ''Synodontis'' has over 131 different species within the genus. ''Synodontis'' are also k ...

'' genera.

Breeding

It is possible to breed ''L. ocellatus'' in captivity. Males of this species spawn with more than one female at a time, and do so in or near the females' shells. Eggs are laid inside the shell, and take approximately three days to hatch. The fry are free swimming in one week. It is possible to feed the fry with a turkey baster containing baby brine shrimp.

References

* {{Taxonbar, from=Q1760196 ocellatus Fish of Lake Tanganyika Taxa named by Franz Steindachner Fish described in 1909