How to Breed Lamprologus Leleupi

Lamprologus leleupi is also known as Neolamprologus leleupi or the Tanganyikan lemon cichlid. It is a small tropical cichlid from Lake Tanganyika in Africa that lives over rocks down to a depth of 90 feet. Lemon cichlids are quite easy to keep in an aquarium, either on their own or with other Tanganyikan cichlids, provided their basic needs are met. There are several color forms of L. leleupi with the bright yellow form being the most sought after.

Things You'll Need

  • Two fish tanks
  • Five juvenile lemon cichlids
  • Broken flower pots
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Instructions

    • 1

      Set up a 30 gallon fish tank with plenty of rocks and caves. You must have hard water or use a commercial additive to harden soft water in order to keep and breed Tanganyikan cichlids successfully. A water temperature of about 78 degrees F is suitable for lemon cichlids. Allow the tank to settle for three days and then introduce five juvenile lemon cichlids to the tank.

    • 2

      Observe the fish as they settle in and grow to full size over the period of about a year and a half. Since lemon cichlids cannot be sexed until they are mature, you are looking for a pair of fish that set up a defined territory in a cave in the tank. One of the pair, the male, should be twice the sizer of the other.

    • 3

      Transfer the identified pair to a new 20 gallon tank with no other fish and with several caves and upturned and broken flowerpots. Illuminate the tank well and allow the fish to settle in for two weeks. If you observe excavation activity by either of the pair during this period it is a sign that the fish are starting to breed.

    • 4

      Do a 50 percent water change after two weeks if you do not observe any excavation activity. A water change often triggers breeding by refreshing the tank and providing trace minerals. If no breeding activity is observed after six months rearrange the rocks and plant pots in the tank or try again with a fresh set of juvenile Lemon cichlids. Sometimes breeding can start spontaneously for no apparent reason.

    • 5

      Introduce very small live brine shrimp or commercial fry food to the tank about a week after excavation begins. During this period it is likely that the smaller female has been hidden inside the spawning site with the eggs. The eggs hatch after four days and the adults are excellent parents and will not attack or eat the small fry. Allow the fry to grow in the tank for several months but remove them if the adult pair show signs of breeding again as this will make them become aggressive towards their previous brood.