# Lamprologus Boulengeri info please



## thinking_fish (Aug 13, 2007)

I have had a very hard time finding any useful info on these lil guys. How are they best kept groups or pairs? Territorial issues? sex differences? min size aquarium? good tank mates? How common are they in the hobby?

If anyone has experience with these fish please reply.


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## alicem (Jul 26, 2007)

Hi,
I have no experience with them, but here is an article I found for you, seems like they have similar needs with the rest of the shellies:


cichlid room companion said:


> This colorful shell dwelling species was in the original collection taken from the lake by Horn in 1908 and subsequently described by Steindachner. N. boulengeri has a confusing taxonomic history in that it has been knowa by the synonyms Julidochromis boulengeri,( Poll 1946), N. hecqui, (Boulenger, 1899) and L. kirivaithai (Meyer, 1986). It was left to Staeck in 1988 to set the record straight and confirm the name proposed by Steindachner in 1909.
> 
> Imported at regular intervals into the United States over the last ten years, N. boulengeri is yet another dwarf shelldweller that is attractively marked and that exists in an aquarium around a territory that has a shell as its focal point. Wild specimens for export are collected close to the town of Kigoma on the northeastern shores of Tanzania. Males attain a length of 2.5 inches (6.25 cm) while females remain only slightly smaller. In a tank containing both sexes the males can easily be identified since they are constantly displaying to the females and challenging other males. The dominant male is distinctly marked with a pattern of black blotches across light brown flanks. Two of these markings extend into the dorsal fin, the first at a point two to three spiny rays along this fin and the second at approximately the center of the dorsal. Although young of this species resemble closely N. hecqui and N. kungweensis it becomes very obvious as the species matures that indeed it is different. In addition to the characteristic blotch pattern across the flanks and into the dorsal N. boulengeri has a distinct orange-yellow border to the edges of both the dorsal and anal fins. The caudal, pectoral and pelvic fins are clear. The upper lip is a metallic blue and a thin blue line runs from the corner of the mouth, under the eye to end at the lower edge of the gill cover.
> 
> N. boulengeri like many of its cousins is a harem breeder with one male taking care of three to four females. One mature female may produce as many as 60 eggs during each spawning which can be as often as every six to eight weeks. N. boulengeri does not appear to be an obligatory shell-dweller since earthenware caves will also be used as spawning sites. The aquarium should be furnished with an ample layer of fine gravel or sand as the substratum so that any shells may easily and efficiently be positioned and buried to the individual requirements of each fish in the tank. Normally the male will be too large to fit completely into the shell such that he will be forced to eject his milt at the mouth of the shell, which he then vigorously fans into the interior of the shell.


hth


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## Dan L (Oct 20, 2003)

I kept a couple of these at one time. It was my experience that these guy are very territorial. More so than any other shellie that I kept. The will not tolerate any other fish in their territory. The large male that I had beat the snot out of a full grown Lelupi that I once had. The male I had also drew blood from my hand once. Every time I put my hand in the tank for maintenance he would attack me. It wasnt a hit and run like most shellies. He would latch on to my hand and shake. I don't know if all individuals are this aggressive though.

I kept mine in a 72gal community with Calvus, Lelupi, Pleco, Syno, Cyps.

You can see by the teeth how he drew blood...


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## straitjacketstar (Mar 8, 2004)

Dan L said:


> Every time I put my hand in the tank for maintenance he would attack me. It wasnt a hit and run like most shellies. He would latch on to my hand and shake. *I don't know if all individuals are this aggressive though.*


My husband was able to keep bonded pairs peacefully enough in 20 gallon tanks (long) as a very basic breeding set-up. Just the pair, no other fish, lots of rockwork and some shells for the female.
In an 80 gallon community setting with a single pair they took over most of the tank and relegated tankmates to opposite sides of the tank. The high aggression made tank maintenance a nightmare for my husband. The finger latching made a completely algae free front panel seem less important. lol


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