All fish / Cichlidae

Five-bar cichlid

Neolamprologus tretocephalus

Also known as five-barred lamprologus, five barred cichlid, tretocephalus, lamprologus tretocephalus, five bar lamprologus, tret, ネオランプロローグス・トレトケファルス, 五间半, 五带新亮丽鲷

A sturdy Tanganyikan cichlid with a pale whitish body crossed by five or six bold black bars and blue edging on the fins. In the wild it feeds heavily on snails over rocky and sandy margins. Keepers value its striking contrast and confident, characterful behaviour.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

12 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

7.8 to 9

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

Single pair, or one fish, with robust Tanganyikan tankmates

Diet

Carnivore: snails, shrimp, mysis, krill, quality cichlid pellets

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 12 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

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

Breeding

A cave spawner that forms pairs; the female lays eggs in a rocky cave and both parents guard the fry. Breeding is fairly straightforward once a compatible pair is established, but pairing can be difficult as males may kill unwilling females.

Good to know

Highly aggressive towards its own kind and similar-looking fish, so provide plenty of rockwork and avoid small tankmates. Easily confused with the closely related Neolamprologus sexfasciatus, which has six bars and grows larger.