# Neolamprologus multifasciatus



## OllieNZ (19 Mar 2010)

Hi All
Im starting a shell dweller tank and am after some (1M:3F) Neolamprologus multifasciatus. I can get them through my lfs for Â£9.99 a fish but they don't normally stock them and will be getting them in from a uk breeder for me. Is this a good price? Does anyone know anywhere else they may be availible from? 

Thanks

Ollie


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## dw1305 (19 Mar 2010)

Hi all,
That is a bit pricey, although they are usually more expensive than most fish (all tangs are). I'd try and find a  breeder on "Aquarist classifieds", either N. multifasciatus or Lamprologus similis would do. The advantage is that there is a ready market for them (they breed really easily) or you can exchange them at the LFS for a credit note without any problem.

If you want plants with them you need to either have the plants potted, well away from the shells or well up in the water column as they are incredible diggers and throw sand everywhere. They like quite fine sand so they can bury the shells, and they love live food, particularly Daphnia, I used to also feed mine little Gammarus (Freshwater "shrimps") as well.

You can often get shells for them from French Restaurants, the big escargot size is about right for these (or dead Apple snails from a LFS?). You can never have too many shells.

cheers Darrel


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## AdAndrews (19 Mar 2010)

if you are coming anywhere near me anytime soon i can sell you mine, im having to cut down tanks due to electricity and attempting to keep marines.

they are great little fish, i have 3 but they havnt bred yet...


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## OllieNZ (19 Mar 2010)

Thanks for the info Darrel. I'll be going with the multies the tank is just play sand substrate and the LFS have plenty of shells


			
				AdAndrews said:
			
		

> if you are coming anywhere near me anytime soon i can sell you mine,


Thanks for the offer Ad I have to say no, Im not going to be up that way any time soon.
I dont mind paying a bit more at my LFS they are only 5 mins down the road and normally pretty good on cost (I picked up a pair of hemichromis christatus for Â£7) and Im only buying 3-4 fish so saving a couple of quid on the fish would be lost in postage or travel costs.
Are they pretty easy to sex? I want to make sure I get 1m:2-3F

Thanks

Ollie


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## AdAndrews (21 Mar 2010)

no probs mate, 

they are nearly impossible to sex, you will be a very lucky person to come back with that ratio.. id go with a group of 6 and then eventually you will have a pair formed. the rest can be removed if needed, although multies are colonial so it shouldnt be too much of a problem.


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## OllieNZ (21 Mar 2010)

Thanks Ad I hope I get lucky then, my budget will only stretch to 4. I just had to spend a small fortune on essential car repairs  

Regards

Ollie


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## Ed Seeley (21 Mar 2010)

If they are tank bred then sexing them isn't too hard.  The largest and most aggresive will be a male and the smallest will almost certainly be female.  Also females never get over 3/4" whereas males get to around 1 1/4".  It's not completely foolproof (some small fish can be runty males) but good enough as even the weakest males will always outgrow the females IME.


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## OllieNZ (21 Mar 2010)

Thanks Ed
They are coming from a local (somwehere in England) breeder so hopefully all the fish will be similar age then it shouldnt be to hard to pick the biggest and smallest fish.

Regards

Ollie


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## dw1305 (22 Mar 2010)

Hi all,
Yes a group of juveniles (6 or more) are best. You can always split the colony up by moving the shells, the fish go where the shells are. Lamprologus similis behave/look the same as N. multifasciatus, the only obvious difference is they have bigger eyes and slightly "prettier". Its worth putting some of the shells along the front glass, with the openings obliquely to the glass, then when the shells are buried you can see in at the female and fry.

Lamprologus similis



cheers Darrel


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## AdAndrews (24 Mar 2010)

but, just to add to what Darrel said, dont keep multies and similis' together, i accidently purchased 2 similis for my multi tank(thinking they were multies, believe me, its an easy mistake) the similis ruled, so i had to get rid of them.


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## OllieNZ (25 Mar 2010)

Thanks for the help all. I haved ordered the fish and they should be in at the start of next month. I'll get some pics up when I get them.

Thanks

Ollie


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## George Farmer (25 Mar 2010)

Neolamprologus multifasciatus are wonderful little fish!

Out of all the fish I've kept these had the most character, by far.  Over a period of 3 weeks they entirely re-arranged the aquascape!

All the best with the set-up.  I'm sure you'll find them very rewarding.


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## OllieNZ (25 Mar 2010)

Thanks George
I cant wait to get the fish in. I havent really given a thought to scaping the tank, I think ill let the fish do it  until I think of something better  .

Regards
Ollie


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