Brevis shell dweller
Neolamprologus brevis
easysemi aggressivebottom swimmerCichlidae
- Tank length
- 13.5 cm5.3 in
- Start with
- 2
- Temperature
- 23–25 °C73–77 °F
- pH
- 7.6–9
- Adult size
- 4.5 cm1.8 in
- Lifespan
- 5–8 yrs
A pair shares a single snail shell, so supply empty shells and a sand bed; they defend a small patch fiercely despite their size.A pair shares a single snail shell, so supply empty shells and a sand bed; they defend a small patch fiercely despite their size.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Banded gourami
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Bandit cory
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Black kuhli loach
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Black neon tetraNo shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Black phantom tetra
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Blackline rasbora
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Bleeding heart tetra
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Blind cave tetra
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Bloodfin tetra
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Blue acara
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Blue emperor tetra
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Blue lyretail
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 23–25 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 7.6–9 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 10–30 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · low confidence |
| Origin | Lake Tanganyika (sandy shell beds) | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | easy | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | sedentary | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | bottom | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | semi aggressive | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Long fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Territorial | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lives in groups | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum group | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Diet | carnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 5–8 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 10 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |