Moderate
Lamprologus comp. kigoma
23–26°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 75L
£20.99
Lamprologus mustax — a bold 4.5cm Tanganyikan bottom-dweller for 75L+ hard, alkaline tanks. Carnivore, moderate care, semi-aggressive.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Photos are AI-enhanced, so the animal may show subtle colour or marking differences.
Lamprologus mustax
Mustax bond and breed in male/female pairs — buying a pair gives them the social structure they need.
Lamprologus mustax — a bold 4.5cm Tanganyikan bottom-dweller for 75L+ hard, alkaline tanks. Carnivore, moderate care, semi-aggressive.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Photos are AI-enhanced, so the animal may show subtle colour or marking differences.
Cichlids are one of the most diverse fish families in the hobby. From tiny apistogrammas to massive oscars, this guide covers the basics of keeping them well.
Maintain these water conditions for optimal health and vibrant colors
Specialists building small-bodied Tanganyika communities rate Lamprologus mustax highly for a simple reason: it concentrates the genus's bold, watchful personality into a 4.5 cm package. Sold here as the Mustax, it is a bottom-dwelling cichlid that quickly learns the geography of its tank — and exactly who else lives in it.
The recorded requirements are firmly Rift Lake in character. Keep the water at 22–26 °C with pH 7.8–9.0 and 10–20 dGH; provide at least 75 litres; and feed it as the carnivore it is. Care sits at moderate. Temperament is semi-aggressive with a territorial side, which is normal for the group and manageable with sensible stocking and a rocky, structured tank floor. The recorded lifespan of eight years rewards keepers who get those basics right from the start.
Where the Mustax particularly suits UK keepers is the maths of it. Seventy-five litres is an ordinary cabinet aquarium, the 22–26 °C band sits at the cooler end of tropical heating, and one species plus a small Synodontis covers the recorded stocking template — no rare equipment, no oversized tank, no exotic foods beyond a carnivore's meaty staples. The challenge is behavioural rather than technical, which is exactly what an intermediate fishkeeper should be shopping for.
Build the floor of the tank as a series of defensible features, hold the water hard and alkaline within the recorded 10–20 dGH and pH 7.8–9.0 window, and the species' territorial side becomes a spectacle instead of a problem.
Its short compatibility list is part of its character: other small Tanganyikan cichlids of similar temperament and small Synodontis catfish are the recorded matches. Exclude large aggressive cichlids, fin-nippers, very timid fish, anything that needs soft acidic water, and species small enough to be bullied or eaten.
A worthwhile step for keepers moving beyond beginner cichlids into the Tanganyikan specialists — small tank, big behaviour. Fish are packed for transit and sent by licensed live-animal courier, with our live arrival guarantee included.
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