{"product_id":"neolamprologus-multifasciatus-neolamprologus-multifasciatus","title":"Neolamprologus multifasciatus | Neolamprologus multifasciatus","description":"\u003ch2\u003eDescription\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eMeet the smallest cichlid in the world: the 'Multi' reaches barely 4–4.5 cm, yet lives in bustling colonies that excavate and rearrange whole beds of snail shells. Tiny, intensely social and utterly addictive to watch, it is one of the best nano cichlids in the hobby and a great first shell-dweller.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eNatural Habitat\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eNeolamprologus multifasciatus\u003c\/em\u003e lives over the sandy floor of Lake Tanganyika in East Africa, among vast beds of empty Neothauma snail shells. The lake is warm, very hard, highly alkaline and remarkably stable, and these fish spend their whole lives in and around a single shell, which serves as home, fortress and nursery. Fine sand and a good supply of shells are essential to keep them.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAppearance\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA minute, torpedo-shaped cichlid patterned with many fine vertical bars (hence multifasciatus) over a fawn-grey body, with a faint blue-and-gold sheen catching the light. Despite their size they are bold and constantly busy, shovelling sand and defending their shells.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eTemperament and Compatibility\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eColonial and territorial only around each fish's own shell. A group establishes a co-operative colony in a surprisingly small footprint, with males holding shells and females nesting within his patch. Peaceful toward non-competing tankmates but best kept as a species colony in a nano or dedicated shell tank. They will not bother mid-water fish that leave the sand bed alone.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFeeding\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eA micro-predator\/carnivore in nature, feeding on tiny invertebrates and zooplankton. Offer a quality small cichlid pellet plus frozen cyclops, daphnia, baby brine shrimp and finely-chopped meaty foods. Avoid mammal-based foods. Small, frequent feeds suit their tiny mouths best.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eCare Requirements\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eProvide a deep bed of fine sand and several empty shells (Neothauma or escargot shells) per fish, in hard, alkaline, stable water: pH 7.8–9.0, high GH and KH, temperature 24–27 °C. Footprint matters more than height. Keep water pristine with regular, carefully matched partial changes; even small pH swings stress shell-dwellers disproportionately.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eBreeding\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eProlific shell-spawners. Females lay inside their shells and guard the eggs, and because the colony tolerates its own offspring, new fry regularly appear and swell the group over time. Simply provide plenty of shells, hard alkaline water and small foods, and a colony will steadily grow.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSpecies Information\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\u003cem\u003eNeolamprologus multifasciatus\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCommon Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMultifasciatus Shell-Dweller ('Multi')\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOrigin\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAfrica (Lake Tanganyika)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMaximum Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAround 4–4.5 cm (world's smallest cichlid)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eLifespan\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e5–8 years\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTemperament\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eColonial; territorial around shell\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDifficulty\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eBeginner\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMinimum Tank Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e40 litres\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRecommended Tank Size\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e60 litres or more\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDiet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCarnivore (micro-predator)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWater Temperature\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e24–27 °C\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003epH Range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e7.8–9.0\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGH Range\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e10–20 dGH (hard, alkaline)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSalinity\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot applicable (freshwater)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSuitable For\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTanganyikan biotope and hard-water setups; nano shell tanks\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReef Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot applicable\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePlant Safe\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eYes\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\u003ch2\u003eSuitable Tank Mates\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003ePeaceful mid-water Tanganyikans such as Cyprichromis (in larger tanks), or kept as a stand-alone colony. Small, calm tankmates that ignore the sand bed.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch2\u003eAvoid Keeping With\u003c\/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eLarger or aggressive cichlids, bottom-foragers that disturb the shell bed, and any fish big enough to eat these tiny fish or fry.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Nick's Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","offers":[{"title":"Small (1-5cm)","offer_id":55232785383715,"sku":"BA8696","price":29.95,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0972\/7236\/5347\/files\/Neolamprologus_multifasciatus_ca3888de-b6c7-4f5e-8485-4827ba8281a6.jpg?v=1781446531","url":"https:\/\/nicksaquariumoceanariumterrarium.com.au\/products\/neolamprologus-multifasciatus-neolamprologus-multifasciatus","provider":"Nicks Aquarium Oceanarium Terrarium","version":"1.0","type":"link"}