Neolamprologus similis

Common Names:

Big-Eyed Multi
Similar Shelldweller
Zebra Shelldweller

Synonyms:

Lamprologus similis

Family:

Cichlidae

Category:

Cichlids

Distribution:

Africa; Primarily the shores of the Republic of Congo

Main Ecosystem:

Rift Lake; Lake Tanganyika

Temperament:

Territorial; Somewhat reclusive but primarily aggressive and territorial.

Diet:

Carnivore; Carnivore

Care:

As with most of the smaller shellies, requirements are slight: sand, shells, and hard, basic, clean water. Somewhat more aggressive than the "similar" multis, they are better off in pairs for smaller tanks. Larger ones will allow for a colony to form, although it may never be as congenial as a multi colony.

pH:

7.6 - 8.6

Temperature:

22°C - 27°C

72°F - 81°F

Hardness:

10 dH - 30 dH

Potential Size:

Male: 4.3cm (1.7")
Female: 4.3cm (1.7")

Water Region:

Middle, Bottom; Middle-Bottom

Activity:

Diurnal; Diurnal

Gender:

This fish is quite easy to sex at adulthood: males are larger and have a distinctive, if small, nuchal hump.

Breeding:

This shellie is fairly easy to breed, but with close-to-wild stock, keep an eye on the hardness and pH; if adult fish aren't breeding, getting conditions a bit closer to those of the Lake is often all it takes. Fry will feed themselves on scraps but also appreciate live foods.

Variants:

Comments:

The species, although named for its similarity to N. multifasciatus, is impossible to mistake for the multi thanks to a few main differences. Similis appear to have light stripes on a dark body, where multis are the opposite; similis supposedly have larger eyes, hence the common name; and most useful of all, similis have additional stripes on the neck and head, where the multis' stripes cover only the body.

Main Colours:

Brown, White, Pink

Markings:

Striped Vertical

Mouth:

Upturned

Tail:

Flat

Search:

Image Credit:

;LittleMousling

Submitted By:

littlemousling

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