Similis Shell Dweller
Neolamprologus similis
Cichlidae
About
The similis shell dweller is a diminutive shell-brooding cichlid endemic to the shell beds of Lake Tanganyika in Africa. Slightly larger and more heavily striped than its cousin multifasciatus, its dark bars run right onto the head, giving each fish a boldly banded look. It lives in tight colonies over sand, with every fish claiming an empty snail shell as a home and nursery, and it needs hard, alkaline water to thrive.
Care
Provide a sand bed strewn with empty snail shells in hard, alkaline water at 24-27 C, and keep a colony of at least six. Peaceful in the open but fiercely defends the few centimetres around its own shell.
Diet
Zooplankton micropredator in the wild; feed small frozen and live foods like cyclops, daphnia and brine shrimp, supplemented with fine dry foods.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (7)
Possible with care (140)
Avoid (124)
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 Similis Shell Dweller need?
- A Similis Shell Dweller needs an aquarium of at least 45 litres (11.9 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 Similis Shell Dweller need?
- Similis Shell Dweller does best at 23–28 °C (73.4–82.4 °F), pH 7.4–9 and a general hardness of 8–25 °dGH.
- What group size does a Similis Shell Dweller need?
- Similis Shell Dweller is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Similis Shell Dweller suitable for beginners?
- Similis 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.