# Neolamprologus leleupi and Lamprologus ocellatus



## Mike_B (Jul 27, 2011)

Any advice on compatibility of Neolamprologus leleupi and Lamprologus ocellatus? Are these shellies tough enough to withstand the leleupi's predation of eggs and fry? I'd like to put them together in a standard 75 gallon tank.


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## Qaddiction (Oct 16, 2007)

While researching on the web, I have found advice given to NOT keep these two together. I myself have not tried so I have no personal experience. I remember reading that if a leluepi was wanting to eat some shellie fry that it would literaly pull the adult shell dweller out by the tail to get to the fry. Hopefully someone else will chime in.


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## Rick_Lindsey (Aug 26, 2002)

I have read the same advice Qaddiction mentioned. My experience with shell-dwellers and leleupi was with a small breeding colony of multifasciatus housed in an "80" gallon tank (5'x1x'2') with 2 leleupi. The multi colony was about a third of the way over from the left side of the tank, the subdominant leleupi lived on the left side (amonst some rocks and jungle val), and the dominant leleupi lived on the right side. The multies and the dominant leleupi had a sort of mexican stand-off going... there was a DMZ where the multies were piling the sand they dug out from under their shells. There was tension and frequent posturing by both parties across the DMZ, but there was little to no violence.

All that changed when I added some regal blue peacocks to the tank. The multies grew more timid, and the dominant leleupi ("Evil Witch") grew much more agressive, harassing the multies.

All that said, Evil Witch was only about 3.5", and as she grew to full size the balance of power may have changed even without the addition of the peacocks, but who knows.

-Rick (the armchair aquarist, who learned his lesson about mixing tangs and largeish malawi cichlids)


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Agree with the others, not a great mix. Perhaps some of the Lepidiolamprologus shellies would be a better choice for you.


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## shellies215 (Jan 7, 2011)

^ I agree, some L. Hequi could stand up to leleupi.


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## Cooder (Jul 19, 2011)

ACTUALLY, in my experience, leleupi were the underdogs of the tank. this near 4 inch lemon was cruising around, checking out the little golds, not very interested and this little gold under an inch whipped out of his shell and grabbed the lemon on the nose. it was quite funny and the lemon never went near that patch of the tank lol.

My lemons might have been jsut big softies but they would be dominated by anything basicly in the tank.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

My leleupi killed all my brevis AND all my caudopunctatus in a 72" tank.


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