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Encyclopedia / African Cichlids / Lemon cichlid
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Variations

2 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Lemon cichlid

Neolamprologus leleupi · Leleupi, Orange leleupi, Golden leleupi

Territorial but not too aggressive; keep in a rocky tank with other Tanganyikans.

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10 cmAdult size ✓
24–27 °CTemperature ✓
8–9pH ✓
70 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Lemon cichlid is tropical.
  • Rift lake cichlids like lemon cichlid need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Lemon cichlid only grows to 10 cm.
  • Rift lake cichlids like lemon cichlid need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (24–27 °C vs 10–22 °C). No setting suits both.
  • Rift lake cichlids like lemon cichlid need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like lemon cichlid need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like lemon cichlid need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Their pH needs don't quite meet (8–9 vs 4.5–7). Aim between the two and keep it steady.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

64 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓8–25 dGH
Group size ✓2 or more
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ?All levels
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 4–6 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Territorial but not too aggressive; keep in a rocky tank with other Tanganyikans.

  • cave

Food

Cichlid pellets and flakes; add frozen brine shrimp, mysis and krill a few times a week.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Hard to sex by eye; adult males tend to grow larger than females.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Cave spawner (pair bond) · Moderate

Cave spawner: the female lays her eggs on the wall or roof of a cave. Spawning water pH 8.2-9.0.

Pairing

Buy a group of 6 and let a pair form, or buy a proven pair; keep a pair per tank to avoid fights.

Setup

100-150 L tank with rock piles creating narrow caves and slits, hard alkaline water (pH 8-9) and strong filtration.

What starts it

Stable pair bond, good conditioning and a cave that fits the female.

Eggs

Up to 150 eggs on the cave wall or roof; they hatch in 3-4 days and fry are free-swimming at 8-10 days.

Raising the fry

Fry hide in the cave and become free swimming after a week. Feed microworms and newly hatched brine shrimp; parents tolerate and often protect them.

Common mistakes
  • Mixing several pairs in a small tank
  • Giving caves that are too big
  • Using soft water
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionLake Tanganyika
Rivers and lakesLake Tanganyika (rocky coasts)
HabitatRocky crevices and caves
Native rangeAbout 300 km across
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The story of the lemon cichlid

A bright yellow to orange Lake Tanganyika cichlid; yellow and darker colour forms can live together in the wild (polychromatism). Named after entomologist Narcisse Leleup; described by Poll in 1956.

Belgian ichthyologist Max Poll described the lemon cichlid in 1956, originally in Lamprologus. Its bright yellow colour made it popular soon after it reached aquarists. It is a cave spawner that rarely strays from the rocks.

First described by Max Poll in 1956.

  • Its colour ranges from yellow to orange depending on the population.
  • It lives and breeds in narrow rock crevices.
  • Its colour can fade without a varied diet.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources