Many Banded Shell-Dweller (Neolamprologus multifasciatus)
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(Redirected from Multifasciatus Dwarf Cichlid)
Many Banded Shell-Dweller
Neolamprologus multifasciatus
Moderate
56.781 liters
56,781.177 mL
56.8 Litres (15 US G.)
1.575 in 3-4 cm (1.2-1.6")
Freshwater
7.8 - 8.5
297.15 K
75.2 °F
534.87 °R
301.15 K
82.4 °F
542.07 °R24 -28 °C (75.2-82.4°F)
12-20 °d
1:2 M:F
Uncommon
5-8 years
This animal is available captive bred
Contents |
Alternative names
- Multi, Many Banded Shell-Dweller, Multifasciatus Dwarf Cichlid
Synonyms
- Lamprologus multifasciatus
Sexing
- Males tend to be larger and stockier than females, and will also dominate over females.
Tank compatibility
- Best kept in a species tank only, with at least 2-3 females per male. Fast swimming top dwellers can occasionally be kept as long as the tank is large enough, such as Zebra Danios.
Diet
- Primarily an insectivorous fish, they do well on most common small or crumbled foods with the occasional live food of bloodworms, cyclops or similarly small live foods.
Feeding regime
- Feed once or twice a day.
Environment Specifics
- A bottom dwelling Cichlid that inhabits empty shells of the Neothauma Snail native to Lake Tanganyika.
- This Shelldweller needs sand, roughly 3.8-5.1cm (1.5-2") deep and shells for inhabitation. The shells do not have to be Neothauma, but their openings must be large enough for the fish to swim into yet not much bigger than the fish itself. The Multifasciatus likes to have a small territory with a number of shells for living in and as an emergency hiding place from predators or threats.
- They do not require a large or spacious tank but are best kept in a small group of three to five in an aquarium no less than 75.7 Litres (20 US G.) in size.
Behaviour
- Males are territorial, but their territories are small. Will rearrange shells to suit their liking and rarely go far from their selected shells.
Identification
- A small elongate fish with a rounded nose and many dark vertical bands on its body. The fins have white bands and yellow colouration.
Pictures
Videos
| Adults and shells: | Adults with fry: |
| Adults making a nest |
External links
- Fishbase (Mirrors:
)