Orange Leleupi Cichlid
Common Names: Orange Leleupi, Firecracker
Scientific Name: Neolamprologus Leleupi
Family: Cichlidae
Maximum Size: 4 inches
Life expectancy: 8 - 10 years
Minimum Tank Size: 30 gallons
Temperature Range: 72 - 82°F
pH Range: 7.8 - 9.0
Water hardness: dH 12 - 14
Temperament: Semi-Aggressive
Origin: Lake Tanganyika
Aquarium Setup:
The Orange Leleupi Cichlid prefers a sandy substrate, white aragonite is highly recommended to maintain the alkalinity and pH in the water. This will help them to keep their bright colors, the fishes color will darken if the substrate used is a dark color!
They love to build caves, so shells, rocks and driftwood should be generously added to the tank. Leleupi’s dwell in crevice’s so lots of shelters should be provided.
Diet:
Their diet should consist of a lot of variety with such foods as mysis and brine shrimp, blood worms and pellet and flake foods for carnivores.
You can also include krill, mosquito larvae, daphnia and color enhancing food.
Tank Mates/Community:
Leleupi’s can be kept with other Lake Tanganyika Cichlids and catfish that are similar in size. Generally peaceful fish they can be housed with other fish that are peaceful.
Behavior:
These Cichlids won’t normally bother any plants that you have in the tank, but they may accidentally uproot them while digging. If they don’t have suitable caves or places to claim as their own, they will dig rooms out in the substrate!
They are also very good jumpers with excellent aim! Leleupi’s have been known to jump out of openings in the tank lid as small as one inch by one inch! So, make sure that you keep the top of your aquarium well covered to keep them in the tank!
Color:
While the majority of Leleupi’s are vibrant yellow or orange, there are variations such as brown/black and silver/beige. They are almost one color over their entire bodies with the only differences being in subtle shades.
Breeding:
Leleupi Cichlids take several years to reach sexual maturity since they are slow growing fish. They’re a little harder to breed than most other Cichlids and will spawn in secret inside a chosen cave.
The female will lay the eggs inside the cave and the male will then enter the cave to fertilize them. The incubation period is 3 to 4 days and soon after the fry should be transferred to a separate tank.
Leleupi’s are very good parents, the male and female will take turns guarding the young fry until they get ready to spawn again. The fry can be fed on a diet of flake food that is finely crushed and small brine shrimp.
Interesting Notes:
Leleupi Cichlids have very large mouths to be so small, but a front view will display some pretty impressive fangs! They’ve been a popular addition to home aquariums since 1958.
