All fish / Procatopodidae

Tanganyika Killifish

Lamprichthys tanganicanus

Also known as tanganyika lampeye, tanganyikan lampeye, giant lampeye, tanganyika pearl killifish, lamprichthys, tanganicanus lampeye, ランプリクチス・タンガニカヌス, 坦干依卡灯眼鳉

This is the largest African lampeye, a slim, open-water shoaling fish whose males shine with rows of electric blue spots over a silvery body and yellowish fins. It is kept as a lively dither fish for Tanganyikan cichlid tanks, where a large group moving in the upper and middle water looks striking.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Peaceful

Adult size

12 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

7.8 to 9

Smallest tank

300 litres

Keep as

Shoal of 8 or more

Diet

Carnivore: small live and frozen foods such as mysis, brine shrimp and daphnia, plus quality flakes and small pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Tanganyika (Tanzania, DR Congo, Burundi, Zambia)

Breeding

Females push their eggs into narrow cracks between rocks, and the eggs take around ten days or more to hatch. Breeding happens fairly readily in a mature rocky tank, but the young need to be raised apart from the adults if many are to survive.

Good to know

It needs hard, alkaline, very clean water and a long tank with plenty of swimming room, and it does badly when moved or kept in small numbers. Keep a tight-fitting lid because it jumps, and don't house it with cichlids big enough to eat it.