Breeding Lamprologus stappersi (Caudopunctatus)

Breeding guide for the caudopunctatus-type shell-dweller (Lamprologus stappersi): pairs spawn in shells or rock cavities and raise small broods in colonies.

Overview

This small Tanganyikan cichlid of the caudopunctatus type (recorded here as Lamprologus stappersi) is a yellow-finned dwarf that hovers over sand and breeds in cavities. It is a zooplanktivorous shell spawner: in aquaria it uses empty snail shells, while in the lake, where its rocky, sand-strewn biotope lacks Neothauma shells, it excavates holes under rocks to spawn.

Sexing

The male is distinguished from the female mainly by being slightly larger and having slightly longer pelvic fins. Males reach around 7-8 cm while females stay smaller, so size and fin length are the practical sexing cues in a mature group.

Conditioning

Feed good-quality flake and granular foods supplemented with frozen brine shrimp; the species is a micro-predator that takes small invertebrate foods readily. Maintain hard, alkaline water at around 24-27 °C to keep fish in spawning condition.

Breeding Setup

Provide fine sand and empty snail shells or small rock cavities as spawning sites. This is not a harem species; rather, several pairs may spawn in close proximity, each holding a small territory, so a sand-bottomed tank with scattered shells can support a breeding colony. A small tank suffices for a single pair.

Spawning Behavior & Trigger

Pairs spawn within a shell or excavated cavity. The female is the dominant guardian and keeps the male and any dither fish away from the brood. Stable, hard, alkaline water and a suitable spawning site trigger reproduction.

Egg & Fry Care

Broods are small: documented spawns yielded only around five to ten fry. The female guards the fry closely. Fry are smaller and slimmer than those of many shell-dwellers and are started on fry food and finely ground flake, progressing to newly hatched brine shrimp and microworm.

Common Challenges

Small brood sizes mean modest yields, and the tiny fry require fine first foods. Because the female is the primary guardian, the male should not be removed but given space; providing several spawning sites lets a colony establish without excessive conflict.