−13%
Moderate
Signatus Shelldweller (Lamprologus signatus)
24–27°C · pH 7.8–9 · 40L
£16.52£18.99
Graceful Lake Tanganyika Daffodil Cichlid with yellow-gold tones, lyretail fins and social colony behaviour. Best for hard, alkaline rockwork aquariums with stable water and carefully chosen Tanganyika tank mates.
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.
Neolamprologus pulcher
Daffodil Cichlid bond and breed in male/female pairs — buying a pair gives them the social structure they need.
Graceful Lake Tanganyika Daffodil Cichlid with yellow-gold tones, lyretail fins and social colony behaviour. Best for hard, alkaline rockwork aquariums with stable water and carefully chosen Tanganyika tank mates.
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
The Daffodil Cichlid is a graceful Lake Tanganyika cichlid from the Neolamprologus pulcher group, known for its warm yellow-gold tones, elegant lyretail fins and confident colony behaviour. Petra lists this fish under the trade name Lamprologus sp. daffodil, but the care profile matches the Daffodil form of Neolamprologus pulcher: a hard-water, rock-dwelling cichlid that rewards careful aquarists with fascinating social behaviour.
This is not a soft-water community fish. It is best chosen for a stable Tanganyika-style aquarium with alkaline water, plenty of rockwork and tank mates selected around its territorial nature. Kept correctly, the Daffodil Cichlid becomes a bright, characterful centrepiece for aquarists who enjoy watching pair bonding, cave defence and cooperative family behaviour rather than only colour.
Daffodil Cichlids have a slim but sturdy Tanganyika body shape with a pale cream to yellow-gold base colour, extended fin edges and a clean, alert expression. Mature fish often show the best finnage when settled in mineral-rich water with good food and low stress. They can look delicate at first glance, but their behaviour is very much that of a cave cichlid: alert, territorial and quick to defend a chosen space.
The name can cause confusion because older trade lists may use Lamprologus names while modern hobby and scientific references commonly place the Daffodil-type fish in Neolamprologus pulcher. We keep the supplier name on the record for traceability, while presenting the accepted care name clearly so customers can compare reliable care information before purchase.
Neolamprologus pulcher is associated with Lake Tanganyika, one of the world's most mineral-rich freshwater lakes. In nature it lives around rocky and sediment-rich areas where caves, cracks and small territories matter. Pairs and family groups defend shelter sites, and eggs are typically placed in protected crevices rather than out in the open.
This habitat explains almost every part of its aquarium care. The fish needs hard, alkaline water, open sand or fine gravel, and a rock layout with secure caves. It does not need dense planting, peat filtration or soft, acidic conditions. A Tanganyika layout with limestone, ocean rock, inert slate or cichlid-safe caves is usually a far better match than a planted community aquascape.
For a pair, start with at least 100 litres, and choose a larger aquarium if you want to keep a group or mix Tanganyika species. A 200 litre or larger tank gives the fish more room to form territories and reduces pressure on weaker individuals. Large colonies or mixed Tanganyika layouts are better planned in 300 litres or more, with visual breaks and several cave zones.
Use a sand or fine gravel base and stack rockwork securely before adding water or fish. Caves should be stable, with no risk of collapse if the cichlids dig. Leave some open swimming space at the front, but make the back and sides feel structured. Strong biological filtration is important because Tanganyika cichlids dislike unstable water quality, and weekly partial water changes are safer than occasional large corrections.
Lighting can be moderate. A dark background and pale rockwork usually show the fish well without making the aquarium feel harsh. Tough attached plants such as Anubias or Java fern can be used if desired, but this species is chosen for rockwork behaviour rather than planted-tank delicacy.
Keep the water warm, hard and alkaline. A practical aquarium target is 24-26°C, pH around 7.8-8.8 and stable hardness. FishBase records N. pulcher from alkaline Tanganyika conditions and gives a natural pH span around 7.3-8.5, while aquarium care for Tanganyika cichlids often uses the upper part of that range for long-term stability.
Avoid sudden changes. If your tap water is soft, raise hardness and alkalinity carefully with an appropriate cichlid mineral mix rather than making large swings. Test pH, KH and nitrate regularly. These fish cope far better with consistent, clean water than with a tank that keeps being adjusted up and down.
The Daffodil Cichlid is best fed as an omnivore leaning toward small meaty foods. Offer quality cichlid pellets or fine granules as the staple, then rotate frozen brine shrimp, mysis, cyclops and daphnia for condition. Small feeds once or twice daily are better than heavy meals that sink into the rockwork and pollute the tank.
Do not rely on large, fatty foods or feeder fish. They are unnecessary and can create digestive or water-quality problems. A varied but controlled diet gives better colour, steady growth and stronger breeding condition. Remove uneaten food where possible, especially in rock piles where waste can collect.
This is a territorial cichlid, not a general peaceful community fish. A settled pair may defend a cave strongly, and that behaviour increases if they spawn. The best tank mates are other hard-water Tanganyika species that occupy different spaces and are not small enough to be bullied. Even then, the aquarium must be large enough for territories.
A species-only group can be very rewarding because the social structure is part of the appeal. If mixing, avoid soft-water tetras, delicate livebearers, dwarf shrimp and slow, gentle fish. Do not mix with aggressive Malawi mbuna in a small tank just because both groups like hard water; the behaviour and layout needs are different. Watch new introductions carefully and be ready to rearrange rockwork if one fish becomes dominant.
Daffodil Cichlids are famous among Tanganyika keepers for their pair and colony behaviour. They are cave spawners, and adults may guard eggs and fry in a defined territory. Older juveniles can sometimes remain near the group, which is one reason the species is often discussed as a cooperative breeder.
If breeding is likely, provide several caves and avoid constant disturbance. Fry may appear from the rockwork once the adults are settled. At that point, aggression toward tank mates usually increases, so a breeding pair is often easiest to manage in a species-focused aquarium. Small fry foods such as newly hatched brine shrimp and finely crushed prepared foods can be used once the young are free swimming.
Choose the Daffodil Cichlid if you want a bright, intelligent Tanganyika cichlid with natural behaviour and a manageable adult size. It is a strong choice for aquarists who already keep hard-water fish, or for anyone prepared to set up a proper Lake Tanganyika aquarium from the beginning.
It is not the right choice for a soft-water planted community, a peaceful nano tank or an aquarium where every fish must ignore each other. Its beauty comes with cichlid confidence. Give it stable alkaline water, rock caves and sensible companions, and it becomes a much more rewarding fish than a generic community addition.
We pack livestock carefully for a specialist live-animal courier service, with oxygen, insulation and weather-aware dispatch decisions. Use WELCOME10 for 10% off your first order when the code is available at checkout. Your fish is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee when the delivery and acclimation instructions are followed.
On arrival, dim the aquarium lights and acclimate slowly. Tanganyika cichlids dislike sudden parameter swings, so temperature matching and steady introduction are important. Keep the aquarium calm for the first day, then feed lightly once the fish is settled and alert.
This listing was manually reviewed against FishBase for the accepted species profile and water range, plus specialist Tanganyika references for Daffodil-form habitat, colony behaviour and aquarium planning. The result is written for practical aquarium care rather than keyword repetition.
24–27°C · pH 7.8–9 · 40L
24–27°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 80L
24–27°C · pH 7.5–9 · 200L
24–27°C · pH 7.5–9 · 40L
24–27°C · pH 7.8–9 · 40L
24–27°C · pH 7.8–9 · 200L
18–26°C · pH 6.5–8 · 30L
23–27°C · pH 7.4–8.4 · 500L
20–27°C · pH 6–7 · 54L
23–27°C · pH 7.4–8.4 · 150L
24–28°C · pH 6.5–7.8 · 300L
20–24°C · pH 7–8 · 45L
24–28°C · pH 6.5–7.5 · 2000L
24–28°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 200L
24–28°C · pH 5.5–7 · 60L
18–25°C · pH 6–8 · 100L
24–28°C · pH 7–8 · 120L
18–28°C · pH 6.5–8 · 20L
24–27°C · pH 7.5–8.8 · 150L
22–26°C · pH 6–7.5 · 60L
24–28°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 40L
24–28°C · pH 7.5–8.5 · 500L