Lamprologus meleagris/stappersi

By LittleMousling
 
Some people prefer looks over brains, and some people know how to find both. ‘Lamprologus’ stappersi is arguably the most beautiful shelldweller. It lacks the visual punch of L. ocellatus “gold” and the endearing face of N. brevis, but its odd combination of orderly, reflective pearls and blotchy patterning creates a fish too lovely to be ignored.

The titular “pearls” (this fish has one common name, though it isn’t widely used: the Pearly Ocellatus) are more like those of Pearl Gouramis than Pearlscale goldfish. They are orderly spots covering the body and fins of the fish, and they appear generally to be white, though in a photographic flash or when the fish tilts toward a light they reflect blue and purple.

On the whole the fish looks not unlike a cow, albeit a delicate and pugnacious cow. The blotchy brown patterning on a beige body fades or darkens depending on the fish’s behavior and environment. Despite the appearance of randomness, the splotches are rather like fingerprints: unique, but they follow the same basic format on every fish. The main repeating features include a blotch over the head as tough a can of brown paint was spilled between the eyes, and an M or H shape on the flank. The head also has a very distinctive, thin line running from eye to eye. Like the basic blotching pattern, this light band is apparent on fry at quite small sizes and only disappears when the fish becomes plain beige for camouflage or from stress.

It should be mentioned that while males are beautiful, stappersi females in breeding dress utterly surpass them. Males at full color are beige and brown, with pearls. Females in full color are liver and almost-white, with sharply defined blotching and a tendency to flare their iridescent gill flaps. In both sexes, the capper of this lovely fish is certainly the ventral display: these fins are almost perfectly round, reflective, and look like Celtic boat paddles, the inexplicably perfect accent to a fish that appears otherwise so sharp and bellicose.

Though the beauty of stappersi is what draws many owners in, their attitude will hook any fishkeeper for life. This species is a member of the ocellatus subgroup, with the same shape and a very similar tendency toward territoriality. No stappersi is ever satisfied with the existing territory; border disputes and arguments over international are extremely frequent, which gives the owner ample opportunity to observe stappersi’s mesmerizing display: head down, fins out, blotches dark and an expression that makes the owner, much less the other fish, want to back away. In females particularly, presumably to make up for their smaller size, the gills may puff out. This and the fin display are very effective; though females are much smaller, they often seem to be the same size to an observer.

Given enough space, these arguments will stay civil—perhaps a torn fin every so often, easily healed, but not badly-beaten fish starving in the upper corners of the tank. This species maintains large territories for its size, perhaps 10” or larger in diameter, and needs a reasonable allotment of space. The owner will not regret an upgrade: with enough personality in each 2” body to fill a swimming pool, it is hard to begrudge a small harem of stappersi a 30” tank.

This species has the same needs as the other shelldwellers in water quality; as with any Tanganyikan fish, clean, warm, hard, alkaline water is a necessity. Tank-bred specimens are fairly hardy but still deserve the care and attention lavished on their wild-caught progenitors.

A micropredator, this species does very well on a staple pellet but can easily be “tricked” into spawning with live or frozen treats like brine shrimp and daphnia. This species relishes food, which makes it a joy to feed them – and a pain to keep from overdoing it.

As with ocellatus, shells need not be massively numerous. However, enough should be provided that the fish can find ideal ones and not fight over possessing them. Stappersi will often fill in or even bury unused shells, then dig them out again if necessary.

Digging in this species is particularly worthy of discussion. Especially when speaking of breeding females, stappersi surpass sand-painting monks in their control and understanding of sand as a medium. They shape and build it to their desired specifications and can work astonishingly fast; a one-inch female may completely dig out a shell within an hour, then use the next to cover it again in a more effective way. Extreme digging by females is nearly always a sign of imminent fry; generally the female will cover all but the opening of the shell for spawning, then begin testing various styles and designs for the nursery. When the fry first emerge there is a small pit in front of the opening, called a nursery pit, within which the young fry stay. As they begin to leave it the digging starts again to create a large hole of moat to serve as a playpen. Males will dig as well, and are particularly interested in filling or burying extra shells in their territory, but the females are the Michelangelos of digging in terms of skill and speed.

Breeding stappersi is not a terribly difficult proposition. Given space, clean water, and as a particular trigger, treats of frozen or live food, they are happy to be prolific. First, of course, both sexes are needed; though with practice the shape of the head is a dead give-away for sexing this species fairly young, the safest bet is as always to buy a group of six juveniles and grow them out, removing any fish which are ostracized.

Eggs are laid in the female’s shell while the male hovers above, milting. This typically lasts several minutes, up to about a quarter of an hour, and though the female is fully focused on the task the male may pause to drive off interlopers or glare at the observer. The female will spend some time fanning eggs within the shell but will soon commence sitting on its edge, waving her pectoral fins rapidly and giving her owner a huge clue to the presence of eggs. A day or two of fanning and the eggs will hatch, though they fry will stay in the shell, feeding off their yolk sacs and still not free-swimming, for five to seven days.

The fry are few, as with all shelldwellers, but not absurdly so; as a somewhat larger species, stappersi simply has more room to store eggs. The fry have their parents’ ability to change color by the time they are free-swimming or even before, and use that skill to blend into their background. Luckily for them, even unrelated stappersi are generally safe with fry, not least because the parents defend them so thoroughly.

In such a slow-growing species, multiple daily feedings are vital for young fry. Every moment a tiny belly is empty reduces present and future growth speed. Crushed pellet food makes a well-rounded diet but other fry-sized foods—baby brine shrimp, cyclops, vinegar eels or microworms—are terrific additions. With the right temperature and diet the fry will grow fast enough to please anyone who doesn’t expect oscar-level growth. Without it, they may not seem to grow at all!


For both aesthetes and lovers of cichlid intelligence, it is hard to choose a better species than ‘Lamprologus’ stappersi. It may not be a strict beginner’s fish, but a little research (try internet searches under the old synonym, L. meleagris, as well) and some planning can put anyone on the road to owning a harem of these stunning, lively, gorgeous cichlids.