Genus / Tribe: Lamprologus / Lamprologini
Common Name: Often called the "Black Ocellatus".
Locality: Bilila (Kavala) Island. The species is generally distributed along the southwestern shores of Lake Tanganyika (Congo).
Biotope: Shell-dwelling habitat on sandy to muddy substrates. They prefer areas where shells (typically Neothauma) are buried with only the opening visible. Like L. meleagris, they can bury themselves in the sand if no shell is available.
Adult Size: Males reach approximately 5–6 cm, while females are smaller at about 4 cm.
Appearance: They are part of the Lamprologus ocellatus group but are distinguished by a dark-grey to black edge on the anal fin.
Sexual Dimorphism: Males are larger; females often have a rounder and lighter-colored belly.
Minimum Tank Size: 60 Liters (approx. 15 gallons).
Setup: Use fine sand and provide empty snail shells (at least one per fish).
Social Structure: Typically kept in harems where one male lives with two to three females. Both sexes inhabit and defend their own shells.
Tank Mates: Best kept with other small Tanganyikan cichlids that occupy different zones (e.g., rock-dwellers). Avoid housing them with large predators.
Diet: Carnivorous. In the wild, they feed on insect larvae and small crustaceans. In captivity, they accept live/frozen foods like Artemia, Daphnia, and Cyclops.
Aggression: Highly territorial and aggressive around their shell, despite their tiny size. They defend their area vigorously, especially when caring for fry.
Breeding: A shell-brooder. Spawning occurs inside the female’s shell, and the male fertilizes the eggs from the outside. Clutches are small, usually 10 to 20 eggs. The female is the primary caretaker and is very aggressive during this period.