Lyretail cichlid
Neolamprologus brichardi
Also known as fairy cichlid
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–81°F (23–27°C)
- pH
- 7.8–9.0
- Adult size
- 3.9 in (10 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 29 gal (110 L)
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Origin
- Lake Tanganyika
- Family
- Cichlidae
Overview
Keep these as a colony built around one breeding pair, with a tank of at least 110 liters and lots of rockwork. They hold a patch in the middle of the tank and get scrappy near their cave, especially when guarding fry, so give other Tanganyikans room to stay clear. Feed a quality cichlid pellet with regular frozen or live brine shrimp and daphnia. Stick to tankmates that want the same hard, alkaline water.
In the wild
This fish comes from the rocky shorelines of Lake Tanganyika in East Africa, living among the steep slopes and crevices a few meters down. Build the tank to match. Use a pile of rock with plenty of caves and gaps for pairs to claim. Keep the water hard and alkaline, with a pH on the high side (7.8 to 9) and temperatures in the mid 20s C.
Good to know
Neolamprologus brichardi is a cichlid that grows to about 10 cm. You can tell it by the slender body, the long lyre-shaped tail with trailing filaments, and the white stripe running from the eye back to the gill. It is a cave-spawning substrate breeder, not a mouthbrooder, and pairs can stay productive for years. Wild stocks are stable, though local collection and habitat loss are worth watching.
Did you know
This is one of the few fish that practices cooperative breeding. Older juveniles stick around the parents' territory and help guard and tend the next batch of fry instead of leaving, so a single cave can hold several generations working together.
Where to buy
Some links may not be the exact species or variety.
- LiveAquaria Freshwater and saltwater fish, inverts and corals
- Imperial Tropicals Freshwater fish and inverts bred at a Florida hatchery
…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
Keeping Lyretail cichlid?
Track water tests, reminders and stocking fit.
Related species
Lemon cichlid
Neolamprologus leleupi4.5 in (11.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Daffodil cichlid
Neolamprologus pulcher5.1 in (13 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Cylindricus cichlid
Neolamprologus cylindricus4.7 in (12 cm)29 gal (110 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Five-bar cichlid
Neolamprologus tretocephalus5.9 in (15 cm)53 gal (200 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)
Caudopunctatus
Neolamprologus caudopunctatus2.8 in (7 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–79°F (24–26°C)
Brevis Shell Dweller
Neolamprologus brevis2.4 in (6 cm)16 gal (60 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)