Pearly Ocellatus

About

Found only at the mouth of the Sambala River where it meets Lake Tanganyika in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lamprologus stappersi is one of the smaller shell-dwelling cichlids from Africa's great rift lakes. It belongs to a group of bottom-oriented cichlids that claim empty snail shells as both home and breeding site, and despite its compact size it defends its chosen shell and the immediate patch of substrate around it with real conviction. In a community setting it pairs well with species that use different areas of the tank. Rock-dwelling cichlids or mid-to-upper-water schoolers leave the bottom zone to stappersi and keep things relatively peaceful. Kept in a group, these fish form loose colonies, and providing a surplus of shells, classic escargot shells work well, helps distribute aggression and gives each fish genuine choices. Males can be pushy with one another, so running more females than males is the sensible approach. Breeding is entirely possible in the home aquarium. Pairs form temporary bonds, spawn inside shells, and both parents guard the fry in a small pit dug near the shell entrance. The striped juveniles are slow growers. This species was historically sold as "pearly ocellatus" and sometimes still surfaces under that name or the invalid label L. meleagris, so knowing its origin helps when sourcing stock.