Lamprologus meleagris- Lamprologus meleagris distribution
Family: Cichlidae;
Genus: Lamprologus;
Species and synonyms: Lamprologus meleagris (Lamprologus meleagris, Lamprologus stappersi, Pearly Ocellatus).
GBIF:
Lamprologus meleagris (lat. Lamprologus meleagris) is a species of ray-finned fish from the order Cichliformes, family Cichlidae, genus Lamprologus. Endemic to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa.
Distribution. Lamprologus meleagris is endemic to Lake Tanganyika, one of the oldest and deepest lakes in the world, located on the border of Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi and Zambia. The species is widespread throughout the lake, but prefers areas with sandy or muddy bottoms where empty snail shells are present, serving as shelter and spawning sites. It is usually found at depths from 2 to 30 meters.
Care requirements. Lamprologus meleagris is a dwarf cichlid, growing up to 5–7 cm. For keeping a pair or a small group (one male and 2–3 females), an aquarium of 50 liters or more is recommended. Empty snail shells (e.g., apple snail or grape snail shells) must be placed on the bottom — 2–3 shells per fish. Optimal water parameters: temperature 24–27°C, hardness 8–20 dGH, pH 7.5–9.0. Powerful filtration, aeration and weekly water changes of 20–25% are required. Diet: live and frozen foods (brine shrimp, bloodworms, daphnia, cyclops), as well as high-quality dry flakes and granules with high protein content.
Lamprologus meleagris are monogamous shell-dwelling cichlids that form stable pairs for life. Spawning occurs inside the shell, where the female lays up to 20–30 eggs. The female cares for the eggs and fry, remaining at the entrance to the shell, while the male guards the territory. The incubation period lasts about 7–10 days, after another 5–7 days the fry begin to leave the shell and switch to independent feeding (brine shrimp nauplii, microworms). The fry grow slowly, reaching sexual maturity by 8–10 months.
In the wild, Lamprologus meleagris feeds on small invertebrates, which it digs out of the sand. The fish show pronounced sexual dimorphism: males are larger (up to 7 cm), with a more elongated body and bright yellow coloration with pearly spots on the head and body; females are smaller (up to 5 cm), with less bright coloration and a rounded abdomen. In the aquarium, these fish exhibit pronounced territorial behavior, especially during spawning, so they need shelters and clear zoning of the aquarium.
Thanks to their bright coloration, interesting behavior and relatively small size, Lamprologus meleagris is very popular among aquarists specializing in cichlids from Lake Tanganyika. However, due to territoriality, they are not recommended to be kept with peaceful small fish, but only with other Tanganyikan cichlids of comparable size (e.g., altolamprologus, julidochromis).
Lamprologus ocellatus