Five-bar Cichlid
Neolamprologus tretocephalus
Cichlidae
About
The five-bar cichlid is a robust, boldly barred rock-dweller endemic to the northern half of Lake Tanganyika, where its black-and-white striping gives it the look of a miniature frontosa. It patrols the intermediate zone between rock and sand at shallow depths, and in the aquarium it is a confident, intelligent fish that demands hard, alkaline water and firm boundaries with tankmates.
Care
House singly or as a proven pair in a spacious, rock-built tank with a sand bed, hard alkaline water and stable warmth. It is very aggressive toward its own kind, so choose robust, differently-shaped Tanganyikan tankmates and give everyone caves and clear territories.
Diet
Carnivorous invertebrate hunter and snail-crusher; feed quality cichlid pellets plus frozen or live mysis, brine shrimp and krill, avoiding fatty foods that cause bloat.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (156)
Avoid (115)
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.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Five-bar Cichlid need?
- A Five-bar Cichlid needs an aquarium of at least 200 litres (52.8 US gallons) with a footprint at least 120 cm (47.2 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Five-bar Cichlid need?
- Five-bar Cichlid does best at 23–27 °C (73.4–80.6 °F), pH 7.5–9 and a general hardness of 8–20 °dGH.
- Is the Five-bar Cichlid suitable for beginners?
- Five-bar 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.