Cylindricus cichlid
Neolamprologus cylindricus
Also known as Cylinder cichlid, Cylindricus
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 7.8–9.0
- Adult size
- 4.7 in
- 12 cm
- Minimum tank
- 29 gal
- 110 L
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Rocky shorelines of the southern half of Lake Tanganyika in East Africa.
Overview
A pair or small group needs a tank of at least 110 liters packed with rockwork and broken sight lines to spread aggression. Water must be hard and alkaline at 24 to 27 C, pH 7.8 to 9.0. It is a micro predator, so feed frozen mysis, brine shrimp and chopped shrimp along with carnivore pellets. Keep only one male unless the tank is large, since males fight hard over territory.
In the wild
This slender cichlid hides among rock piles in Lake Tanganyika, rarely straying far from a chosen crevice. It has a long cylindrical body with dark vertical bars that let it back into narrow cracks. Each fish guards a small rocky territory.
Good to know
Neolamprologus cylindricus is a cave spawner that lays its eggs on the roof of a rock crevice. Males grow noticeably larger than females and only one male should hold a given rock pile. The dark barred pattern and tube shaped body are a match for its life spent wedged into rocks.
Did you know
Its body is built like a tube so it can reverse deep into a rock crack, leaving only its barred face showing at the entrance.
Common questions
What size tank does a Cylindricus cichlid need?
A Cylindricus cichlid needs at least 29 gal (110 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a Cylindricus cichlid need?
A Cylindricus cichlid is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 7.8–9.0.
How big does a Cylindricus cichlid get?
An adult Cylindricus cichlid reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm).
Related species
3.9 in (10 cm)42 gal (160 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Black-belly lamprologus
Neolamprologus nigriventris
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3.9 in (10 cm)42 gal (160 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Longtail lamprologus
Neolamprologus longicaudatus
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5.9 in (15 cm)66 gal (250 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Barred lamprologus
Neolamprologus fasciatus
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5.9 in (15 cm)66 gal (250 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Christy's lamprologus
Neolamprologus christyi
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5.9 in (15 cm)53 gal (200 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Five-bar cichlid
Neolamprologus tretocephalus
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5.9 in (15 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)Six-bar lamprologus
Neolamprologus sexfasciatus
5.9 in (15 cm) · 79 gal (300 L)