Cylindricus Cichlid
Neolamprologus cylindricus
Cichlidae
About
The cylindricus cichlid is a slender, elongated rock-dweller endemic to the rocky shorelines of Lake Tanganyika, instantly recognised by its bold black-and-white vertical banding and burnt-orange finnage. It is a confident, territorial fish that patrols a small cave-and-crevice territory, forming pairs to spawn on the roof of a hidden recess. Peaceful enough toward unrelated tankmates, it can be genuinely nasty to its own kind, so it demands a well-structured rockscape with broken sightlines.
Care
Keep a single bonded pair in a species-appropriate Tanganyikan setup of at least 110 L with a sand base and dense rock piles forming tight caves and line-of-sight breaks. Water must stay hard and alkaline (pH ~8-9, high GH/KH), warm and well oxygenated. House only with robust rift-lake tankmates and provide a secure lid.
Diet
Carnivorous micropredator of invertebrates and zooplankton. Feed a carnivore cichlid granule as the staple, supplemented with frozen or live mysis, cyclops, brine shrimp and chopped krill in small, frequent portions.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (5)
Possible with care (140)
Avoid (126)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Extended finsStrong · from about 8 months, and later in a suppressed male
On many cichlids and killifish the male's dorsal and anal fins draw out into trailing points as he matures, while the female's stay rounded.
- VentingA hint only · only on a mature fish, easiest when she is in breeding condition
The method breeders use when the answer has to be right. Hold the fish upside down in a wet hand or soft net and look at the two openings ahead of the anal fin. The forward one is the anus; the one behind it is what you are reading.
- Adult sizeA hint only · only across animals of the same age
In many cichlids, catfish and loaches one sex simply grows larger — usually the male, though there are well-known reversals.
Also in these lists
Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Cylindricus Cichlid need?
- A Cylindricus Cichlid needs an aquarium of at least 110 litres (29.1 US gallons) with a footprint at least 80 cm (31.5 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Cylindricus Cichlid need?
- Cylindricus Cichlid does best at 23–28 °C (73.4–82.4 °F), pH 7.5–9 and a general hardness of 8–20 °dGH.
- Is the Cylindricus Cichlid suitable for beginners?
- Cylindricus Cichlid sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.