Lamprologus Ocellatus (Shell Dweller)

Common Name:

Ocellatus.

Scientific Name:

Lamprologus Ocellatus.

Family:

Cichlidae.

Class:

African Cichlid.

Distribution:

Lake Tanganyika.

Size:

Males 2 inches (5cm) Females 1.5 inches (3.5cm).

Diet:

Omnivorous, not picky eaters will eat most fish foods.

Water Temperature:

73-79 degrees Fahrenheit (23-26 Centigrade).

Water Chemistry

8.0-9.0 pH with hardness 12 degrees dH - 20 degrees dH.

Housing:

For a breeding pair a 10 gallon tank will be adequate. For a trio (1 male, 2 females) a 20-gallon long tank would be preferential. For each fish 2 or more shells should be made available. In the wild Ocellatus live in "Neothauma" snail shells, although will be happy with most any type. Some rocks to break up the line of sight across the aquarium floor would also be helpful, and will help reduce stress levels caused by territories.
To observe some natural behaviour sand is crucial. Ocellatus love to dig in the sand and bury their shells, so that only the opening can be seen. They will also bury shells they're not using so that competitors will not move in next door. Their behaviour while digging and re-organizing their territory makes them extremely interesting fish to watch.

Sexing:

When comparing full-grown Ocellatus, males will be larger maxing out at 2 inches while the females will be a half-inch smaller. The females will usually have a white streak along the top of their dorsal fin, while the male will not, or it will be less pronounced. Ocellatus from some regions of lake Tanganyika will not display this "white streak" at all. In terms of behavioural differences, males tend to be more territorial than the females, although females will be very protective when guarding eggs or fry.

Breeding:

The female will deposit the eggs in her shell for the male to fertilize either inside of the shell, or from the opening if he is too large. It is difficult to tell when eggs have been laid, although the female will spend a lot of time at the shell fanning the opening to keep oxygenated water flowing over the eggs. Once the eggs have hatched and the fry are spotted it's time to start feeding them. I feed mine almost exclusively frozen baby brine shrimp and finely crushed flake food till they're large enough to accept other foods.

Social Behaviour

For its size they are a very aggressive fish. Each Ocellatus will choose one or more shells, which will then be arranged as they see fit. The males will guard their territory aggressively, while the females will be much more tolerant of intruders, except when protecting eggs or fry.

Tank Levels:

As the case with most cichlids Ocellatus stake out their territory along the bottom of the tank.

Tank Mates:

If you want to stick with a Tanganyikan tank there are a variety of options to consider: If the tank is a 20 gallon long a small variety of Julidochromis would fit in well with a pair of Ocellatus. If the tank is larger yet several Julidochromis could be considered, a school of Cyprichromis or some Synodontis cats. Note: some varieties of the Julidochromis, Cyprichromis and Synodontis get fairly large, so be sure to research those fish and their requirements before adding them to your tank. Other Tanganyikan fish can also make great tank mates.

Photo Credit:

Photos supplied courtesy and ^© Molino