Home / Fishes / Cichlids / Cichlidae / Lamprologus Multifasciatus

No federal permit to keep

Lamprologus Multifasciatus

Neolamprologus multifasciatus

Also known as Multies

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Neolamprologus multifasciatus (also known as Multies, Multi., or Shellies) are one of the small shell-dwelling cichlids endemic to Lake Tanganyika in east Africa.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 1.8 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific values

Values researched for this exact species. Where they differ from the group guide below, follow these. Air, surface and water temperatures are listed separately, and each source is kept as published rather than averaged.

Water temperature	75–81 °F (24–27 °C) Maintenance recommendations from this source; do not replace with a multisource average.	256
Water pH	7.5–9 Maintenance recommendations from this source; do not replace with a multisource average.	256
Water general hardness	8–25 dGH Maintenance recommendations from this source; do not replace with a multisource average.	256
Adult standard length	45 mm Maximum standard length reported by source; excludes caudal fin, not total body length.	256
Minimum tank base	length: 45 cm; width: 30 cm Minimum aquarium base recommended by this source, not a tank-volume specification. For a pair; use a larger base for a colony.	256
Social	Territorial shell-dwelling colony; provide more shells than fish and adequate sand between territories.	256

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 1.6 in / 4 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 75–79°F (range recorded for this species).
Hardness: 15–25 dGH.
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Diet: A filter feeder: needs very fine foods given little and often; difficult to feed well in captivity. FishBase classes it as a omnivore.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Water: hard, alkaline water, 75–81 °F, pH 7.5–9, 8–25 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament territorial.
Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “The aquarium should have large open areas of sandy substrate, to which should be added a good number of empty snail shells (see breeding section below).”
Diet: “Live and frozen varieties should form the bulk of the diet, although dried foods are usually accepted.”
Tankmates: “A territorial fish that will defend its shell and the small territory around it vigorously.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Lake Tanganyika cichlids

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Rocky reefs, shell beds and sand of Lake Tanganyika. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Use species-specific alkaline-water parameters and stable, well-oxygenated conditions. For N. multifasciatus, Seriously Fish gives pH 7.5–9.0 and general hardness 8–25 dGH.
Shell-dwellers need beds of empty snail shells; rock-dwellers like Julidochromis need stacked rockwork; Tropheus need large groups and spacious tanks.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Climate & lighting

Water

76–81°F

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Diet

Tropheus moorii needs a vegetable-based staple with small suitable live/frozen supplements. Other Tanganyikans need their own feeding plan; shell-dweller and predator diets differ.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Social life

Often pair- or colony-forming and territorial; research each genus.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Health watch

Tropheus are prone to bloat on rich foods; sudden water changes stress Tanganyikans.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Understanding the animal

About this animal

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.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Neolamprologus multifasciatus” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. Shell-dweller; each individual has its own shell. Congregates in large groups but stay as pairs in very small territories. Pairs have their shells very close together. Feeds on plankton that slowly pass by above the colony.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 75–79 °F (24–26 °C), pH 8, hardness 15–25 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Wild diet	Filtering plankton.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 75–79 °F.

FishBase species summary: Neolamprologus multifasciatus

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 87°F (up to 91°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 63°F (down to 59°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	73–79°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	54–70% on average (driest month about 47%)
Rainfall	about 1012 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons

Measured at 7 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	Neolamprologus multifasciatus (also known as Multies, Multi., or Shellies) are one of the small shell-dwelling cichlids endemic to Lake Tanganyika in east Africa. The male reaches 5 cm in length, and the female only 2.5 cm in the aquarium. In the wild, they reach only 3 cm in standard length of male and female reaches less than 2.2 cm in standard length. This makes them one of the smallest species within the Cichlidae family. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Wild diet	Neolamprologus multifasciatus primarily feeds on zooplankton, which drifts by their colonies in the water currents. The abundance of shells in their environment allows them to remain within the safety of the colony while taking advantage of this readily available food source. Their diet primarily consists of tiny planktonic organisms, which provide the necessary nutrients for growth and reproduction. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Biology	Shell-dweller; each individual has its own shell. Congregates in large groups but stay as pairs in very small territories. Pairs have their shells very close together. — FishBase
History and naming	Neolamprologus comes from the Greek words; "neos", meaning "young" or "new", "lampros" meaning "bright", and "logos" which denotes the white of the eye. The specific epithet refers to the banding pattern on the body and comes from the Latin "multi" meaning "many" and "fascia" meaning "striped. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Conservation	Neolamprologus multifasciatus is currently listed as "Least Concern" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to its stable population and adaptability. The species thrives in the extensive shell bed habitats of Lake Tanganyika, where its colonies can reach thousands of individuals. — Wikipedia (community-edited)

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources1.7in

FishBase 1641.6

Seriously Fish species profiles 1671.8

Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources75–80°F

FishBase 16475–79

Seriously Fish species profiles 16775–81

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

Water hardness

Average of sources11.5–25dGH

FishBase 16415–25

Seriously Fish species profiles 1678–25

pH

Reported7.5–9

Seriously Fish species profiles 1677.5–9

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial)
6 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Seriously Fish — Neolamprologus multifasciatus Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Seriously Fish — Tropheus moorii Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.