Actinopterygii (ray-finned fishes) > Perciformes
(Perch-likes) > Cichlidae
(Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Lamprologus: Greek, lampros = light + Greek, lagos = hare (Ref. 45335). More on author: Boulenger.
Environment / Climate / Range
Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 7.0 - 8.5; dH range: 10 - 15. Tropical; 23°C - 28°C (Ref. 2059); 3°S - 9°S
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 12.4 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5654); 4.5 cm TL (female)
Africa: endemic to Lake Tanganyika.
Considered a poor aquarium fish. Is a scavenger-predator with a voracious appetite. This perennial roamer remains still only when it is getting ready to attack a prey. It moves about in small packs, never quietly but at a frantic pace, following the leader in its moves, stopping and digging in the sand when it does so or grazing on the biocover (Ref. 6770). Extreme size dimorphism present among males, with both sizes displaying different behavior and reproductive performance (Ref. 85351).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Males collect empty snail shells which are then carried to the nest site (Ref. 47165). Females enter the shells to spawn and care for the brood, fanning the eggs and larvae for 10-14 days (Ref. 47165).
Maréchal, C. and M. Poll, 1991. Lamprologus. p. 218-225. In J. Daget, J.-P. Gosse, G.G. Teugels and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde (eds.) Check-list of the freshwater fishes of Africa (CLOFFA). ISNB, Brussels; MRAC, Tervuren; and ORSTOM, Paris. Vol. 4. (Ref. 5654)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 96402)
CITES (Ref. 94142)
Threat to humans
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
Estimates of some properties based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805
= 0.5000 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01445 (0.00589 - 0.03548), b=3.03 (2.82 - 3.24), based on LWR estimates for this Subfamily-body shape (Ref. 93245
Trophic Level (Ref. 69278
): 3.5 ±0.5 se; Based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref. 69278
): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Vulnerability (Ref. 59153
): Low vulnerability (14 of 100) .