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No federal permit to keep

Brichardi

Neolamprologus pulcher

Also known as Brichard's Lamprologus, Daffodil Cichlid, Daffodil Fairy Cichlid, Lyretail Cichlid, Princess Cichlid, Princess of Burundi

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Neolamprologus pulcher is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 3.5 in

WaterFreshwater

HabitatLives in freshwater

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 2.8 in / 7.2 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 75–79°F (range recorded for this species).
pH: 7.3–8.5.
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Diet: 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

Tank: a base of at least 47 × 12 in (roughly 29 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
Water: hard, alkaline water, 73–81 °F, pH 8–9, 9–25 dGH.
Behaviour: in a pair; not a community fish.
Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Should be housed in a Lake Tanganyika biotope set-up, with piles of rocks arranged to form caves filling much of the aquarium.”
Diet: “Live and frozen foods should comprise a large proportion of the diet.”
Tankmates: “Not an ideal resident of the community aquarium since it's aggressively territorial, especially when protecting fry, and is therefore best kept in a species tank under most circumstances.”
Breeding: “This species is a substrate-spawner depositing its eggs on the roof of rocky caves in nature, and is easily-bred in aquaria.”

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

The common names for N. pulcher include daffodil cichlid, fairy cichlid, princess of Zambia and lyretail cichlid. This species can reach a length of 10 centimetres (3.9 in) TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Neolamprologus pulcher” (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, in lakes. Uses both the bottom and open water. Occurs in sediment-rich regions. Breeds in pairs, with both male and female defending the territory in a joint effort.
Ground it lives on	Over rock.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 75–79 °F (24–26 °C), pH 7.3–8.5, hardness 18 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: clutch tenders, biparental parental care.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 75–79 °F.
Provide rockwork with crevices to hide in.
Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.

FishBase species summary: Neolamprologus pulcher

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 88°F (up to 91°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 62°F (down to 54°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	66–80°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	54–73% on average (driest month about 52%)
Rainfall	about 1038 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons

Measured at 8 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.

Overview	Neolamprologus pulcher is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika. The common names for N. pulcher include daffodil cichlid, fairy cichlid, princess of Zambia and lyretail cichlid. This species can reach a length of 10 cm TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade. — 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
Social life and communication	Since daffodil cichlids are a species that uses cooperative breeding, this means that each individual is ranked in terms of social status. Breeders have a higher social rank than non-breeders. Social status has significant effects on daffodil cichlid behavior. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Wild diet	Daffodil cichlids are omnivorous and feed on swarms of plankton in the water column as well as small crustaceans and invertebrates. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Reproduction	The eggs are deposited in crevices; the area is defended by males, females, and larger juveniles together. Pairs remain together until one partner dies. — FishBase
Appearance and size	Daffodil cichlids are graceful fish with bodies that are elongated with a continuous dorsal fin. The tail fin is lyre-shaped and they develop long flowing filaments on all unpaired fins. They usually reach up to about 4–5 in in length, but can sometimes get a bit bigger in the aquarium reaching up to 6 in. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Biology	Occurs in sediment-rich regions. Breeds in pairs, with both male and female defending the territory in a joint effort. About 20-60 eggs are produced and deposited in crevices. — FishBase
History and naming	Previously, it was believed that N. pulcher and N. brichardi were two distinct species. Now they are considered the same species, the only difference being that Neolamprologus brichardi has a black stripe running from its eye to its gill cover and a yellow spot just above it, both of which are absent in N. pulcher. — Wikipedia (community-edited)

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 sources3.1in

FishBase 1642.8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1673.5

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

Water temperature

Average of sources74–80°F

FishBase 16475–79

Seriously Fish species profiles 16773–81

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

pH

Average of sources7.7–8.8

FishBase 1647.3–8.5

Seriously Fish species profiles 1678–9

Water hardness

Reported9–25dGH

Seriously Fish species profiles 1679–25

Minimum tank footprint

Reported47in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16747

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 12 in (about 29 US gallons).

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial)
36 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

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.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.