Norman's lampeye

Poropanchax normani

Also known as Normani Killi

FreshwaterFish

Norman's lampeye (Poropanchax normani) — Cisamarc · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature: 72–79°F; 22–26°C
pH: 6.5–7.5
Adult size: 1.6 in; 4 cm
Minimum tank: 10 gal; 38 L

Temperament: Peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Top
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Egg depositor · Hard
Rarity: Rare
Family: Procatopodidae
Origin: West Africa

Overview

Norman's lampeye is a very peaceful shoaling fish for the top of a quiet, planted tank. Its care sits a notch above beginner level.

Did you know

Norman's lampeye feeds at the surface, so it is built to spot tiny prey against the glare of light coming through the water. Its glowing eye-ring is not just decoration. In a shoal it helps the fish keep track of each other in dim, shaded water.

Caring for the Norman's lampeye

Give Norman's lampeyes a quiet tank of at least 10 gal (38 L), with gentle flow and plenty of plants. Add some floating cover near the surface, where they spend most of their time just under the waterline.

Keep the water soft and close to neutral, at 72 to 79°F (22 to 26°C) and a pH of 6.5 to 7.5. Feed small foods like fine flake, crushed pellet, micro-worms and baby brine shrimp.

Norman's lampeyes shoal, so keep a decent-sized group, ten or more if you can. They are very peaceful, and boisterous tank mates will outcompete them at feeding.

They are egg layers that attach their eggs to fine plants. Breeding them is hard, and the eggs take a couple of weeks to develop.

Good to know

Norman's lampeye is a killifish-type lampeye now placed in the family Procatopodidae. The bright blue-green ring over its eye is reflective tissue, and that is where the name lampeye comes from. The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern.

In the wild

Norman's lampeye lives in slow, shallow waters across West Africa, often in shaded pools and stream edges with plant cover. The water there tends to be soft and on the acidic to neutral side.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Norman's lampeye is a peaceful, social species that keeps to the top. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator