Congo lamprologus

Care at a glance

Overview

This is a river-dwelling relative of the famous Tanganyikan shell and rock cichlids, kept as a single fish or a bonded pair. It stays on the bottom, digging out a cave beneath a stone and defending the ground around it, and it turns aggressive when holding a territory or a spawn, so choose tankmates with care and give it a broad floor with plenty of rock. Feed meaty sinking foods such as frozen bloodworm and mysis along with a good pellet. A pair needs around 200 liters with a rubble-and-rock floor, strong water movement, and clean, well-oxygenated water.

In the wild

Lamprologus congoensis lives in the rapids of the Congo River itself, not in a lake, holding among rocks in fast, broken water. Recreate that with strong flow, high oxygen, and a floor of rock and rubble full of crevices and caves. Unlike its Tanganyikan cousins it wants near-neutral rather than very hard water, so keep the pH between 6.5 and 7.8 and the temperature around 23 to 27 C, with brisk current from the filter or a powerhead.

Good to know

Lamprologus congoensis is a member of the family Cichlidae in which males reach around 13 to 15 centimeters and develop a fat-filled nuchal hump on the head. Described in 1891, it is the type species of the entire genus Lamprologus. It is a cave spawner: the female lays her eggs on the ceiling of a hollow under the rocks, and the pair guards the eggs and fry until the young are free-swimming.

Did you know

The lamprologines are the group of cichlids that made Lake Tanganyika famous, from tiny shell-dwellers to sleek predators. Yet the very first Lamprologus ever named lives not in the lake but in the whitewater rapids of the Congo River, downstream and apart from the flock it lends its name to.

Common questions

Related species

• Shell thief cichlid

  Lamprologus callipterus

  Freshwater

  5.1 in (13 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
• Tiger lamprologus

  Lamprologus tigripictilis

  Freshwater

  3.9 in (10 cm)42 gal (160 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
• Lemaire's lamprologus

  Lamprologus lemairii

  Freshwater

  9.8 in (25 cm)106 gal (400 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Gold ocellatus shell dweller

  Lamprologus ocellatus

  Freshwater

  2.4 in (6 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Ornate shell dweller

  Lamprologus ornatipinnis

  Freshwater

  2.4 in (6 cm)16 gal (60 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Black ocellatus

  Lamprologus speciosus

  Freshwater

  2.2 in (5.5 cm)11 gal (40 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)