All fish / Cichlidae

Fourspine Cichlid

Lepidiolamprologus tetracanthus

Also known as fourspine cichlid, four spine cichlid, neolamprologus tetracanthus, lamprologus tetracanthus, tetracanthus, pearly lamprologus, tetracanthus cichlid, テトラカンサス, 四棘新亮丽鲷

A slender Tanganyikan cichlid with a pale body covered in rows of small pearly spots, dark bars that come and go with mood, and a dorsal fin edged in orange and black. Keepers like it for its bold predatory character and natural behaviour of sifting sand and hunting snails over open, rocky ground.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

7.8 to 9

Smallest tank

300 litres

Keep as

Single pair or one male with females in a large tank

Diet

Carnivore: snails, shrimp, mysis, krill, quality cichlid pellets and frozen foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 12 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

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

Breeding

A substrate spawner that lays eggs in a cave or under a rock, with both parents guarding the eggs and fry fiercely. Pairs form readily if a group of youngsters is grown on, and breeding in a roomy tank is fairly straightforward.

Good to know

Grows larger and meaner than most Neolamprologus and will eat small fish and fry, so keep only with robust Tanganyikan tankmates. Now usually placed in the genus Lepidiolamprologus, though shops still sell it under the old name.