Similis Shell Dweller
Neolamprologus similis
Cichlidae
About
The similis shell dweller is a diminutive shell-brooding cichlid endemic to the shell beds of Lake Tanganyika in Africa. Slightly larger and more heavily striped than its cousin multifasciatus, its dark bars run right onto the head, giving each fish a boldly banded look. It lives in tight colonies over sand, with every fish claiming an empty snail shell as a home and nursery, and it needs hard, alkaline water to thrive.
Care
Provide a sand bed strewn with empty snail shells in hard, alkaline water at 24-27 C, and keep a colony of at least six. Peaceful in the open but fiercely defends the few centimetres around its own shell.
Diet
Zooplankton micropredator in the wild; feed small frozen and live foods like cyclops, daphnia and brine shrimp, supplemented with fine dry foods.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (3)
Possible with care (97)
Avoid (21)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.