All fish / Cichlidae

Lemon Cichlid

Neolamprologus leleupi

Also known as leleupi, lemon cichlid, leleupi cichlid, neolamprologus leleupi orange, orange leleupi, lamprologus leleupi, gold leleupi, レレupi, 黄金天使, 柠檬鲷

A slim, bright yellow to deep orange cichlid from the rocky shores of Lake Tanganyika, with blue edging around the eyes in many fish. It is kept for its striking solid colour and interesting cave-dwelling behaviour in rock-built Tanganyikan setups.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

9 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

7.8 to 9

Smallest tank

100 litres

Keep as

Single fish or a bonded pair

Diet

Carnivore: small crustaceans, frozen mysis, brine shrimp, bloodworm and quality sinking pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

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

Breeding

A cave spawner that lays eggs inside a rock crevice, with the female guarding the eggs and fry while the male defends the area. Spawning is fairly easy once a compatible pair forms, but pairing adults can be tricky, so raising a small group and letting a pair form works best.

Good to know

Territorial towards its own kind and similar-looking fish, so provide plenty of rockwork and avoid adding a second pair in small tanks. Needs hard, alkaline water and stable conditions.