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Encyclopedia / African Cichlids / Ocellated shell dweller
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Variations

2 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Ocellated shell dweller

Lamprologus ocellatus · Ocellatus, Ocellatus shell dweller, Gold ocellatus, Lamprologus ocellatus

Each fish claims its own shell; keep as a small group with lots of shells.

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5.8 cmAdult size ✓
24–27 °CTemperature ✓
8–9pH ✓
40 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Ocellated shell dweller is tropical.
  • Rift lake cichlids like ocellated shell dweller need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Ocellated shell dweller only grows to 5.8 cm.
  • Rift lake cichlids like ocellated shell dweller 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 ocellated shell dweller need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like ocellated shell dweller 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 ocellated shell dweller 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

60 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 ✓10–25 dGH
Group size ✓2 or more
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ✓Bottom
Care level ✓Easy
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 2.5–4 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Each fish claims its own shell; keep as a small group with lots of shells.

  • cave
  • sand

Food

Frozen brine shrimp, cyclops, daphnia and fine flakes.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Males grow much larger than females; males have gold edges to the dorsal and anal fins, females white edges.

Health

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

Breeding

Shell-dwelling cave spawner · Moderate

Easy shell brooder: eggs are laid inside an empty snail shell. Breed at 25-26.5 °C, pH about 8.0-8.5.

Pairing

Keep a pair with a few spare shells. Eggs hatch in about 24 hours.

Setup

60-100 L tank with a sand floor, many empty snail shells (Helix or Turbo type) and hard alkaline water (pH 7.8-8.8).

What starts it

Good conditioning, regular water changes, and a pair that claims a shell; the female spawns inside it.

Eggs

Eggs hatch in about 3 days; fry are free-swimming at about 10 days. No egg count given.

Raising the fry

Fry stay in or near the shell for the first week. Feed newly hatched brine shrimp, microworms and powdered flake; older fry may be removed to avoid being eaten.

Common mistakes
  • Too few shells so fish fight
  • Using soft or acidic water
  • Keeping with large fish that raid shells
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionLake Tanganyika
Rivers and lakesLake Tanganyika (sandy shell beds)
HabitatEmpty snail shells on sand
Native rangeAbout 300 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the ocellated shell dweller

A tiny, bold shell-dwelling cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika; a gold morph is popular in the hobby.

Austrian zoologist Franz Steindachner described this shell-dweller in 1909. It is bold and territorial despite its tiny size. The gold form is especially popular.

First described by Franz Steindachner in 1909.

  • Females bury their shell so only the opening is visible.
  • Males are usually larger than females.
  • It defends its shell fiercely, even against much bigger fish.

Sources

16 facts checked with sources