Lamprologus Multifasciatus

Neolamprologus multifasciatus are one of the small shell-dwelling cichlids endemic to Lake Tanganyika in east Africa. The male reaches 5 cm (2 in) in length, and the female only 2.5 cm (1 in) in the aquarium. In the wild, they reach only 3 centimetres (1.2 in) in standard length of male and female reaches less than 2.2 centimetres (0.87 in) in standard length. This makes them one of the smallest species within the Cichlidae family. Adults are often a light brown to beige and exhibit a characteristic dark vertical banding pattern with a bright white or blue iris and black pupil. The body is fusiform and slightly laterally compressed. Caudal fins are rounded with a single light band across the peripheral. Anal fins are also rounded and solitary, lacking a second fin. Unlike other species of African cichlids which have egg spots on the caudal fin to distract predators, N. multifasciatus lay eggs within the protected interior of gastropod shells and subsequently lack egg spots. Pectoral fins are rounded and transparent while the pelvic fins are wing shaped with a white leading edge. The rear edge of both the dorsal and anal fins are drawn-out. The lateral line is straight but discontinuous. The jaw is superior (upturned) with the lower jaw extending more anterior than the upper jaw. Only one nostril can be found on each side of the head, instead of the two nostrils found in most other fish.

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