Lamprologus Ocellatus Cichlid shell dwelling

The Gold Lamprologus Ocellatus Cichlid originates from the rocky coastal waters of Lake Tanganyika, Africa. This species is one of the smaller of the cichlids, only attaining a maximum size of 2-1/2 inches. Their bodies are gold in color with a metallic blue hue, and the dorsal and anal fins are very large giving these fish a more dramatic look. They are commonly found within piles of shells in nature, in which they use to breed.

The Gold Lamprologus Ocellatus Cichlid should be maintained in an aquarium of at least 30 gallons with other smaller Tanganyikan cichlids. Incorporate plenty of rocks, shells and African driftwood in order to build caves. Provide a sandy bottom of aragonite to maintain the necessary high pH and alkalinity.

The Gold Lamprologus Ocellatus Cichlid is a shell spawner, and breeding is more difficult than most of the cichlids. This is a very slow-growing species that may take a few years to reach sexual maturity. At that time, the males are typically larger than females. Provide plenty of empty shells for the female to lay their eggs. Incubation occurs in 3 to 4 days. To increase their survival rates, relocate the young to a separate aquarium after hatching. Feed the fry newly hatched brine shrimp and finely crushed flake food.

Their diet should contain meaty items such as blood worms, brine and Mysis shrimp, carnivore flake and pellet foods