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Lamprologus signatus

Current scientific name per the Catalog of Fishes: Neolamprologus signatus

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Neolamprologus signatus is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika where it prefers deep waters over muddy substrates.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

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FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 2.2 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 2.2 in / 5.5 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 75–82°F (range recorded for this species).
Hardness: 10–12 dGH.
Layout: A deep-water bottom fish in the wild: needs cool, dim, very stable water; rarely suitable for home aquaria.
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.

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

Water: hard, alkaline water, 73–81 °F, pH 7.5–9, 10–25 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament territorial.
Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “The aquarium should have large open areas of sandy substrate to which should be added a good number of empty snail shells (see breeding section below).”
Diet: “Live and frozen varieties should form the bulk of the diet, although dried foods are usually accepted.”
Tankmates: “A territorial species that will defend its shell and the small territory around it vigorously.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

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.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Climate & lighting

Water

76–81°F

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

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.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Social life

Often pair- or colony-forming and territorial; research each genus.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Health watch

Tropheus are prone to bloat on rich foods; sudden water changes stress Tanganyikans.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Understanding the animal

About this animal

This species is a shell dweller. This species can reach a length of 5.5 centimetres (2.2 in) TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Neolamprologus signatus” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

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. Lives near the bottom in deep water. Reportedly inhabits deep waters; over soft, muddy bottoms. Feeds on small shrimp. Belongs to the shell-dweller group of cichlids.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 75–82 °F (24–28 °C), pH 8, hardness 10–12 dH.
Climate	Deep-water climate.
Wild diet	Hunting macrofauna (predator).

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 75–82 °F.

FishBase species summary: Lamprologus signatus

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 88°F (up to 91°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 60°F (down to 55°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	72–79°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	54–59% on average (driest month about 46%)
Rainfall	about 968 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons

Measured at 6 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

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.

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	Reportedly inhabits deep waters; over soft, muddy bottoms. Belongs to the shell-dweller group of cichlids. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources2.2in

FishBase 1642.2

Seriously Fish species profiles 1672.2

Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources74–81.5°F

FishBase 16475–82

Seriously Fish species profiles 16773–81

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

Water hardness

Average of sources10–18.5dGH

FishBase 16410–12

Seriously Fish species profiles 16710–25

pH

Reported7.5–9

Seriously Fish species profiles 1677.5–9

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.