Gold Lamprologus Ocellatus

The Gold Lamprologus Ocellatus is a native fish species found in Lake Tanganyika. In its natural habitat, a single male takes care of a group of females, who live in small empty snail shells scattered across the male's territory. Unlike other shell dwelling fish, the male defends a patch of land that includes the shells inhabited by the females. When a female needs a new home, the male will often bury spare shells until she arrives. The females spend most of their time in their individual shells, using them for rest, shelter, spawning, and raising their young. When kept in an aquarium, a pair can thrive in a small tank, but additional females will need their own shells spaced far apart. The tank should have a soft sand substrate that the fish can bury their shells in to hide from other cichlids. A selection of widely-spaced empty snail shells, such as escargot shells, should be provided for the fish. It is important to