Neolamprologus tetracanthus Care Guide
Neolamprologus tetracanthus is a larger predatory lamprologine from Lake Tanganyika that hunts molluscs and small fish; a pair-bonded substrate spawner.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Neolamprologus tetracanthus is a relatively large lamprologine cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika. It has a silvery body marked with rows of dark spots. As a predator of molluscs and small fish, it is not suited to community tanks containing tiny shell-dwellers. The species forms pairs and spawns on the substrate.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Neolamprologus
- Scientific name: Neolamprologus tetracanthus
- Described: Boulenger, 1899
Habitat
The species is endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it inhabits areas with sandy substrates. It ranges over open sand and the margins of rock, foraging for prey across the bottom. It also appears in the aquarium trade.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 350 L
- Temperature: 24-27 °C (75-81 °F)
- pH: 8.5-9.2
- GH: 12-25 °dGH
- Adult size: up to about 20 cm (8 in)
- Lifespan: 8-12 years
Diet
The species is carnivorous, feeding on other fishes and insect larvae and specialised in sucking molluscs from their shells. In the aquarium it takes meaty frozen and prepared foods. Because it preys on small fish, tankmates should be chosen with this in mind.
Compatibility
The species is aggressive and predatory. It is best housed with robust open-water Tanganyikans such as Cyprichromis and Cyphotilapia in a spacious tank. Small fish and shell-dwelling species should be avoided as they may be eaten.
Breeding
The species is a pair-bonded substrate spawner. A bonded pair deposits eggs on a flat surface or within a sheltered site and both parents guard the brood. Breeding is of intermediate difficulty given the space and territory the pair require.
Conservation status
Neolamprologus tetracanthus is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Neolamprologus tetracanthus Breeding Guide
Overview
Neolamprologus tetracanthus, the Fourspine Cichlid, is endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where FishBase records it most often at the bottom edge of rocky habitat where it meets sandy or muddy substrate, usually as a solitary fish. It reaches about 20 cm total length, making it one of the larger Lamprologines. It is a specialised predator that, according to FishBase, feeds on other fishes and insect larvae and is able to suck molluscs from their shells. This size and predatory nature mean it is unsuitable for tanks holding small fish or shell-dwellers.
Sexing
Reliable external sexing characters for this species are not detailed in the consulted sources. As in many large Lamprologines, mature males typically grow larger than females. Because the fish is usually solitary and predatory, the most practical route to a pair is to raise several juveniles together and allow a compatible pair to form.
Breeding Setup
- Water temperature: 23-25 °C (FishBase).
- pH: 7.5-8.0, hard alkaline Rift-lake water (FishBase).
- Hardness: roughly 12-15 dH (FishBase).
- Substrate: open sand, the natural microhabitat for this sand-dweller.
- Décor: rockwork forming caves and crevices to define territories and provide a spawning surface.
- Tank: a large footprint, as this is a sizeable, territorial predator.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Lamprologine cichlids of this type are substrate spawners that deposit eggs on a firm surface inside a cave or rock crevice and then guard the territory biparentally. Stable hard alkaline water, secure cave sites and well-fed, settled adults are the conditions under which such pairs typically come into spawning condition. Given the predatory diet, conditioning is best achieved with meaty live and frozen foods.
Egg & Fry Care
In the typical Lamprologine pattern the female tends and fans the eggs within the chosen cave while the pair defends the surrounding territory; the fry are guarded after hatching. Detailed egg counts and developmental timings specific to N. tetracanthus are not given in the consulted sources, so observe the pair and offer suitably small live foods such as newly hatched brine shrimp once the fry are free-swimming.
Common Challenges
The principal challenges are the fish's adult size and predatory temperament: tank mates must be too large to be eaten, and the breeding tank should offer enough space and broken sightlines to manage territorial aggression. Hard, alkaline, well-oxygenated water must be maintained throughout. FishBase lists the species as Least Concern (assessed February 2025).