Ocellatus Shell Dweller
Neolamprologus ocellatus
Cichlidae
About
The ocellatus shell dweller is a bold, stocky little cichlid from the sandy shell beds of Lake Tanganyika, larger and feistier than its multifasciatus cousin. Each fish claims a single empty snail shell, buries it to taste and defends the surrounding patch of sand fiercely, delivering surprisingly sharp nips for a fish barely five centimetres long. It thrives in hard, alkaline water over a deep sand bed scattered with shells.
Care
Keep as a single pair or one male with several females in hard, alkaline water at 24-26C over a deep sand bed with plenty of empty snail shells (more shells than fish). Territorial for its size, so give each fish its own shell. Needs a tight lid.
Diet
Carnivorous micropredator taking small crustaceans and larvae; feed frozen and live daphnia, cyclops, brine shrimp and bloodworm, supplemented with sinking micro-pellets.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (5)
Possible with care (133)
Avoid (133)
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 Ocellatus Shell Dweller need?
- A Ocellatus Shell Dweller needs an aquarium of at least 40 litres (10.6 US gallons) with a footprint at least 45 cm (17.7 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Ocellatus Shell Dweller need?
- Ocellatus Shell Dweller does best at 23–27 °C (73.4–80.6 °F), pH 7.5–9 and a general hardness of 8–25 °dGH.
- Is the Ocellatus Shell Dweller suitable for beginners?
- Ocellatus Shell Dweller 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.