Lemaire's lamprologus

Care at a glance

Overview

A patient ambush predator for a large predator-themed Tanganyika tank. It is solitary and territorial, so keep it singly or as a carefully introduced pair, never in a group of rivals. It lies still on the bottom among rock, so quiet in fact that it looks like debris, then inhales any fish small enough to fit its mouth. That makes tankmate choice a matter of size: only companions too large to be eaten are safe. Feed meaty foods such as pieces of fish and shrimp. Give it a big rocky tank of 400 liters or more.

In the wild

Lamprologus lemairii rests among the rocks and sediment of Lake Tanganyika wearing a mottled, dead-leaf pattern that breaks up its outline. Set up a large tank with a sand floor and heavy rockwork that offers flat ledges and shaded hollows for it to settle into. Tanganyika is hard, alkaline and highly oxygenated, so hold the pH high, from 7.8 to 9, keep it warm at 24 to 27 C, and provide strong filtration and good water movement.

Good to know

This species belongs to the Cichlidae and reaches about 25 centimeters. It is an almost exclusive fish-eater that hunts by ambush rather than pursuit, hanging motionless until prey drifts within reach. It is a cave-spawning substrate breeder rather than a mouthbrooder, and coaxing a compatible pair to breed is difficult, so it rates as hard. Much of its hunting is done at night.

Did you know

Its ambush works because the fish commits to doing nothing at all. It can hang in the water or lie on the bottom like a waterlogged leaf, and that playing-dead stillness lets prey approach until it forgets a predator is there.

Common questions

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