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No federal permit to keepLamprologus lemairii
Lamprologus lemairii
Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)
Neolamprologus lemairii is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika where it prefers to lurk by rocks or on the lake bed waiting for fish to prey on.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 48 in long and 21 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 9.8 in / 25 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 73–79°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 7.3–8.5.
- Hardness: 10–18 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
- Availability: Rarely or never seen in the aquarium trade; expect to source it from specialists or not at all.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 47 × 18 in (roughly 54 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: hard, alkaline water, 73–81 °F, pH 7.5–9, 10–25 dGH.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Diet: “It is an exclusive piscivore in nature but there is no need to feed live fish in aquaria, as it accepts dead foods readily.”
- Tankmates: “Should only be kept with robust species too large to be considered food.”
- Breeding: “It has not been bred in captivity but is known to spawn in caves in nature.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Lake Tanganyika cichlids
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Rocky reefs, shell beds and sand of Lake Tanganyika. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Use species-specific alkaline-water parameters and stable, well-oxygenated conditions. For N. multifasciatus, Seriously Fish gives pH 7.5–9.0 and general hardness 8–25 dGH.
- Shell-dwellers need beds of empty snail shells; rock-dwellers like Julidochromis need stacked rockwork; Tropheus need large groups and spacious tanks.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 76–81°F |
Diet
- Tropheus moorii needs a vegetable-based staple with small suitable live/frozen supplements. Other Tanganyikans need their own feeding plan; shell-dweller and predator diets differ.
Social life
- Often pair- or colony-forming and territorial; research each genus.
Health watch
- Tropheus are prone to bloat on rich foods; sudden water changes stress Tanganyikans.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
This species can reach a length of 25 centimetres (9.8 in) TL. The specific name of this fish honours the leader of the Congo Free State expedition which collected the type, Lieutenant Charles Lemaire (1863-1925).
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Neolamprologus lemairii” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater, in lakes. Uses both the bottom and open water. Is one of the most voracious and predatory species of the genus; unsuited for the aquarium. This species is a non-roamer. It is often seen near rocks, sometimes lying on the floor in the ocean, motionless. Is highly solitary and pairs are seldom seen. Feeds exclusively on fish. |
| Ground it lives on | Over rock. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 73–79 °F (23–26 °C), pH 7.3–8.5, hardness 10–18 dH. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 73–79 °F.
- Provide rockwork with crevices to hide in.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 85°F (up to 90°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 61°F (down to 54°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 69–79°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 57–72% on average (driest month about 57%) |
| Rainfall | about 1034 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 28 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Neolamprologus lemairii is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika where it prefers to lurk by rocks or on the lake bed waiting for fish to prey on. This species can reach a length of 25 cm TL. The specific name of this fish honours the leader of the Congo Free State expedition which collected the type, Lieutenant Charles Lemaire (1863-1925). — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Biology | Is one of the most voracious and predatory species of the genus; unsuited for the aquarium. This species is a non-roamer. It is often seen near rocks, sometimes lying on the floor in the ocean, motionless. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 18 in (about 54 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Seriously Fish — Neolamprologus multifasciatus Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish — Tropheus moorii Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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