From Aqua Guide, the free encyclopedia
Lemon Cichlid
Neolamprologus leleupi
- Temperature
- 23–27 °C
- pH
- 7.5 – 9
- Min. tank size
- 70 L
- Lifespan
- 8-10 years
- Diet
- carnivore
- Care level
- moderate
| Scientific classification | |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name: | Neolamprologus leleupi |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Origin: | Africa (Lake Tanganyika, East African Rift) |
| Care Characteristics | |
| Care Level: | moderate |
| Diet: | carnivore |
| Max Size: | 10.00 cm |
| Water Type: | freshwater |
| Temp Group: | tropical |
| Temperament: | semi aggressive |
| Min Group: | 2+ together |
| Varieties: | Several geographic forms are traded under collection localities — Karilani, Kigoma, Bulu Point, Nkondwe and others — differing in the depth and tone of the yellow, from a pale lemon through to a deep orange-gold. They should be kept separate rather than mixed, as with all Rift Lake locality forms. More unusually, three colour forms exist within populations — yellow, dark and silvery variants living together naturally — which is an example of polychromatism and means that colour alone does not identify a locality or a sex. Tank-bred stock is widely available and generally hardier than wild imports. The genus Neolamprologus contains many familiar Tanganyikans: N. brichardi and N. pulcher, the fairy cichlids; N. multifasciatus and N. similis, the shell dwellers; and N. cylindricus and N. sexfasciatus among the rock dwellers. Most share the water requirements and the cave-spawning biology, and several make good companions. |
| Lifespan: | 8-10 years |
Quick Tips
- Bioload:Medium
- Min Tank:70 L
- Substrate:Aragonite/coral sand; piles of rock with many crevices and caves
- Plant Safe:Plant-safe (few plants in Rift setups)
- Filtration:High (hard alkaline water; strong filtration)
Lemon Cichlid (Neolamprologus leleupi) is a species of fish in the family Cichlidae. It is native to Africa (Lake Tanganyika, East African Rift). The lemon cichlid is a solid block of yellow against grey Tanganyikan rock, and it is one of the most striking fish in the lake without any pattern at all. It reaches 100 mm standard length, hugs the rockwork, and moves in short deliberate darts between crevices. Its temperament is often misreported. Specialists describe it as an aggressive, territorial species when breeding but otherwise quite placid — which means a non-breeding lemon cichlid is a reasonable neighbour and a spawning pair is not. It needs hard, alkaline water at pH 7.5 to 9.0 and 8 to 25 dGH. The colour is not fixed. Three colour forms exist — yellow, dark and silvery variants — living together naturally, an example of polychromatism within a single population.
Compatibility
- Temperament
- semi aggressive
- Keep in
- Groups of 2+
- Swims
- bottom
- Fin nipper
- No
- Delicate fins
- No
Species similar to Lemon Cichlid
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