Daffodil Cichlid

Daffodil Princess Cichlid, Daffodil II, Princess of Zambia

Family: Cichlidae
Neolamprologus pulcherPhoto Animal-World: Courtesy Frank Schneidewind
Latest Reader Comment - See More
Very nice informative article - good writing! Anonymous

The Daffodil Cichlid is one of the most beautiful and hardy of the Tanganyika
Cichlids!
Contents:
Daffodil Cichlid Facts

Habitat: Distribution / Background

Description

Keeping Daffodil Cichlid

Fish Keeping Difficulty
Foods and Feeding

Aquarium Care

Aquarium Setup

Social Behaviors

Sex: Sexual differences

Breeding / Reproduction

Fish Diseases

Availability

References
The Daffodil CichlidNeolamprologus pulcher(previously Lamprologus pulcher) is an ideal
cichlid or for any aquarist to keep. It is a hardy African cichlid with an elegant, graceful
appearance. The light tan body is is adorned with a lyre shaped tail and blue tipped fins
extending into with long flowing filaments. it is washed with hints of yellow and bluish

spots and has two crescents just behind bright icy blue eyes. It is also known as Daffodil
II, Daffodil Princess, and Princess of Zambia.
The Daffodil Cichlid is almost identical in appearance to its popular relative the Fairy
Cichlid Neolamprologus brichardi. However the Fairy Cichlid has bluish gray fins and can
be identified by the black stripe running from the eye to the gill cover and a yellow spot
just above it. These markings are absent in the Daffodil Cichlid though it has the two
crescent shaped markings behind the eye, and its fins are yellowish.
A school of these beautiful fish makes an elegant display. With its color, form and
adaptability, it is a great choice for both the beginner and advance aquarist. It is
moderately easy to care for as long it has the proper sized aquarium and the right tank
mates. They it will adapt to a wide range of water conditions and eat a wide variety of
aquarium foods.
This pretty cichlid is not shy about swimming out in the open. But they do like an
aquarium with lots of rock formations creating caves for retreating. A sandy substrate is
best because though they are not avid diggers, they may dig out spawning territories
around decor. Plants are not essential but if you should include them they won't harm
them.
These are a schooling fish that pair off only to breed, so are actually best kept in a group.
They are generally peaceful and non aggressive with their own kind. They are not
inclined to quarrel with others except when spawning, and then are very territorial. They
are best kept in a species tank, or a group of these fish can be kept in a good sized
aquarium with other similar types of Lamprologine Shell-dwellers. Other good tankmates
are a large school of Herring cichlids of the Cyprichromis genus like the Sardine
Cichlid Cyprichromis leptosoma, as well as the Goby Cichlids, Julidochromis species,
and Tropheus species.
Though the Daffodil Cichlids spend a good deal of their time spawning, they are a
secretive shelter spawner. You may not even know they have spawned until you see
small fry darting about. A pair of Daffodil Cichlids will spawn again and again. The older
fry will help protect the younger ones, thus various ages of fry will be present in the same
tank. This is an example of "stepped breeding".

For Information on keeping freshwater fish, see:

Freshwater Aquarium Guide: Aquarium Setup and Care

Geographic Distribution
Neolamprologus pulcher

Daffodil Cichlid - Quick Aquarium Care

Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner
Size of fish - inches: 5.1 inches (13.00 cm)

Minimum Tank Size: 15 gal (57 L)

Temperament: Semi-aggressive

Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy

Temperature: 72.0 to 77.0 F (22.2 to 25.0

C)

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Habitat: Distribution / Background

The Daffodil Cichlid Neolamprologus
pulcher (previouslyLamprologus pulcher)
was described by Trewavas and Poll in
1952. These fish are endemic to Lake
Tanganyika, Africa and are widespread in
the southern part of the lake. They are
found along the rocky coastlines of the
countries of Burundi, the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and
Zambia. There are number of different
geographical varieties. The variety known
as the "Daffodil" is very popular and is
found along the steep rocky slopes of
Kantalamba and Kambwinba.
This species is listed on the IUCN Red List
as Lease Concern (LC). Although it is
endemic to Lake Malawi, it is widespread
throughout the southern part of the lake
and has no recognized threats at present.
Other common names this fish is known by
include Daffodil II, Daffodil Princess, and
Princess of Zambia.

The Neolamprologus genus is the largest genus of cichlids in Lake Tanganyika,

containing 50 or so species. The fish in this genus are all closely related but they are split
between "shelldwellers" and "rockdwellers", yet all are substrate spawners. This genus is
also the largest group in the tribe Lamprologini. The Lamprologini tribe contains seven
genera and nearly 100 species of African Cichlids, most of which are found in Lake
Tanganyika, though a few species are found in the the Congo River Basin and one
species in the the Malagarasi River in Tanzania.
The Lamprologini cichlids are highly variable and are found in all kinds of habitats. They
are found both at the surface and in very deep waters, but all species are substrate
spawners. They have a body that cam be somewhat elongated to very elongated. Their
colors tend to be brown, yellow, blue, black or a combination or all four. Black is usually a
striping, either vertical or horizontal. Like other genus in the tribe,
the Neolamprologus will readily mate with females of other Lamprologini.
This species was first considered to be a subspecies of its relative the Striped
Brichardi Neolamprologus savoryi until Poll identified it as its own species. Then a study
published in 2007 in the journal Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution suggested that
the Daffodil Cichlid and its very similar relative, the Fairy Cichlid Neolamprologus
brichardi, are a single species.
This study, "Parallel evolution of facial stripe patterns in the Neolamprologus
brichardi/pulcher species complex endemic to Lake Tanganyika", authored by Nina
Duftner, K. M. Sefc, S. K. ller, W. Salzburgerf, M. Taborsky, C. Sturmbauer would have
both species included as Neolamprologus pulcher, as that is the older of the two
scientific names. However it has not been confirmed that they are the same species.
These two fish are never found occurring together in the wild, but rather in close vicinity
to each other. Also the abundant hybridization between members of the Lamprologini
tribe has seriously confounded molecular studies and DNA sequencing.
The Daffodil Cichlids inhabit rocky coastlines and swim in large schools that often consist
of hundreds of fish. When breeding however, they will form monogamous pairs and
spawn in caves. They are found in waters at depths of 32 feet (10 m) or deeper. They
feed on swarms of plankton drifting in the lake water along with microorganisms such as
small crustaceans and invertebrates.

Scientific Name: Neolamprologus pulcher

Social Grouping: Groups - They occur in schools, often consisting of hundreds
of fish.
IUCN Red List: LC - Least Concern

Description
The Daffodil Cichlid is a graceful fish with a body that is elongated with a continuous
dorsal fin. The tail fin is lyre shaped and they develop long flowing filaments on all
unpaired fins. They reach up to about 4 - 5 inches (10 -13 cm) in length, but can
sometimes get a bit bigger in the aquarium reaching up to 6 inches (15 cm). They can
live 8 - 10 years with proper care.
They have a very pleasing coloration with a light colored tan body washed with hints of
yellow and bluish purple spots. The yellow is stronger along the upper portion of the body

and onto the dorsal fin, and around the base of the pectoral fin. There are two vertical
crescent shaped bars just behind the eye highlighted with a bit of blue. The dorsal fin is
lyre shaped and they develop long flowing filaments on all unpaired fins. The fins are
tipped with an icy blue. They have brilliant blue eyes.

Size of fish - inches: 5.1 inches (13.00 cm) - In the wild they grows to a length of
4 - 5" (10-13 cm), and are generally larger specimens in home aquaria.
Lifespan: 8 years - They have a lifespan of 8 to 10 years with proper care.

Fish Keeping Difficulty

This fish is a great choice for both the beginner and advance aquarist. It is moderately
easy to care for as long it has the proper sized aquarium and the right tank mates. They
are fairly peaceful, making good inhabitants for the community cichlid tank. They it will
adapt to a wide range of water conditions, eat a wide variety of aquarium foods. and will
readily breed. The aquarium does need regular water changes.

Aquarium Hardiness: Moderately hardy

Aquarist Experience Level: Beginner

Foods and Feeding

They Daffodil Cichlids are omnivorous and feed on swarms of plankton in the water
column as well as small crustaceans and invertebrates. In the aquarium they will
generally eat all kinds of live, fresh, and flake foods.To keep a good balance give them a
high quality flake food or pellet everyday. Regularly supplement these foods with brine
shrimp (either live or frozen) or daphnia.
Feed 2 to 5 small pinches of food a day in smaller amounts instead of a large quantity
once a day. This will keep the water quality higher over a longer time. A one-day-a-week
'fast' can also be beneficial. Of course, all fish benefit from added vitamins and
supplements to their foods.

Diet Type: Omnivore

Flake Food: Yes

Tablet / Pellet: Yes

Live foods (fishes, shrimps, worms): Some of Diet

Vegetable Food: Some of Diet

Meaty Food: Some of Diet

Feeding Frequency: Several feedings per day - Offer several small feedings a
day, what they can eat in about 3 minutes or less, rather than a single large feeding.

Aquarium Care
The Lake Tanganyika cichlids cannot handle large water changes very well unless the
new water chemistry closely matches the water they are in. This inability to tolerate large
water changes is due to Lake Tanganyika being very deep and the water tends to stay

stable. Do normal water changes of only 10% to 20% a week, or more frequent small
changes depending on the nitrite/ammonia levels and stocking numbers.

Water Changes: Weekly - Water changes of 10-20% weekly are suggested. Be

cautious of doing more frequent changes as these fish are very sensitive to new water,
only do more if the water parameters are off.

Aquarium Setup
The Daffodil Cichlid is active and will swim in all areas of the aquarium. For a species
only tank, a minimum of 15 gallons is suggested, though 20 or 35 gallons is better. A
larger tank of 50 gallons or more would be required if mixing with other species. They
need good water movement along with very strong and efficient filtration. Lake
Tanganyika is a very oxygen rich lake so bubblers need to be going day and night, even
if there are plants. Regularly check nitrates and ph, nitrates should be no more than 25
ppm and a pH less than 7 is not tolerated. In addition keep an eye on total hardness and
carbonate hardness. Avoid overfeeding and overstocking.
Lake Tanganyika is the second to largest lake in the world, thus contributing to a low
fluctuation in temperature and pH. All Tanganyika cichlids need stable temperatures kept
within acceptable limits and lots of oxygen to survive. Temperatures under 72 F and
over 86 F for too long is not tolerated by many of these fish. When treating for ich, a few
days at 86 F is acceptable. The lake is also consistently alkaline with a pH of around 9,
and very hard at about 12 - 14 dGH. In the aquarium most Tanganyika cichlids are fairly
adaptable as long as conditions are close to these ideal ranges. Most important is that
their water chemistry doesn't change much over time. The water needs to be well
buffered and maintained with small, regular water changes.
Salt is sometimes used as a buffering agent to increase the water's carbonate hardness.
An alternative buffering approach is to use a chemical filtration method, where they water
passes through layers of crushed coral or coral sand. Interestingly, Tanganyikan cichlids
also need iodine for the thyroid to function properly to regulate growth and development,
and which can be achieved by adding iodized table salt to the water. Although rift lake
cichlids need hard alkaline water they are not found in brackish waters. This cichlid has
some salt tolerance so can be kept in slightly brackish water conditions. However it not
suited to a full brackish water tank. It can tolerate a salinity that is about 10% of a normal
saltwater tank, a specific gravity of less than 1.0002.
Provide a sandy or very small sized gravel substrate. Sand used for salt water tanks can
help keep the pH up as well as the addition of crushed coral. Crushed coral and
aragonite sands do tend to dissolve easier than salts. They need a lot of rocks piled up to
create cave formations. Plants are not essential though they do not harm them. They
don't tend to burrow unless they are digging out a spawning sight around the decor.
Subdued lighting is also preferred.

Minimum Tank Size: 15 gal (57 L) - A minimum of 15 gallons is the suggested for
a species tank, with 20 or 35 gallons being better, and 50 gallons or more is needed for
mixing species.
Suitable for Nano Tank: Sometimes - A larger nano tank of 15 gallons or more,
can be used for a species only aquarium.
Substrate Type: Sand/Gravel Mix

Lighting Needs: Low - subdued lighting

Temperature: 72.0 to 77.0 F (22.2 to 25.0 C)

Breeding Temperature: 77.0 F - Best breeding temperature is 77 F (25 C) or
slightly higher

Range ph: 8.0-8.5 - Wild caught specimens prefer the higher Ph.

Hardness Range: 10 - 20 dGH

Brackish: Sometimes - Salt is not found in their natural environment, but they do
have a slight tolerance, keep levels below 10% - a specific gravity of less than 1.0002.

Water Movement: Moderate

Water Region: All - These fish will swim in all areas of the aquarium.

Social Behaviors
The Daffodil Cichlid is a fairly non-aggressive community fish. They can be kept in pairs
or singly, or in harems that form a group of 6 or more. They can be kept in a smaller
species only tank or in a larger aquarium with other durable fish. However they are avid
spawners and breeding pairs will establish a territory and defended it together. This fish
is also very protective in defending their fry.
If kept in a community type environment it is best to introduce the this cichlid last. The
tank mates need to be larger with their own established territories. Avoid housing them
with the African cichlids from Lake Malawi or Lake Victoria. They may tolerate their own
genus, but this is not suggested since hybrids can be formed. They can be housed with
robust Lamprologines or a large school of Cyprichromis, like the Sardine
Cichlid Cyprichromis leptosoma. Other good tankmate are some of
the Altolamprologus genera such as the White Pearly Calvus and the Compressed
Cichlid, and the Julidochromis genera such as Dickfeld's Julie and the Convict Julie.
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Compatible with:

Same species - conspecifics: Yes - They can be kept singly, in pairs, or in

small groups of 6 or more.

o

Peaceful fish (): Threat

Semi-Aggressive (): Safe

Aggressive (): Threat

Large Semi-Aggressive (): Monitor

Large Aggressive, Predatory (): Threat

Slow Swimmers & Eaters (): Threat

Shrimps, Crabs, Snails: Threat - is aggressive

Plants: Safe

Sex: Sexual differences

These fish are difficult to sex. Males are heavier bodied than the females, slightly bigger,
and have a slightly larger forehead. Though it is hard to tell, the male also has longer and
more pointed dorsal fin and anal fins.

Breeding / Reproduction
The Daffodil Cichlids have been bred in captivity and are easy to breed. They are egg
layers and form nuclear families. Considered a monogamous cichlid, they will pair up
only during spawning and will school otherwise. They will often breed in a community
tank. It is suggested to start with a group let them pair up. Condition them with a good
varied diet.
The breeding tank should be at least 36 inches (91 cm) long, or bigger if you have a
larger group to provide sufficient territories among rocks or inverted flowerpots. The
breeding tank should have neutral, medium hard to hard water with to a pH of around 7.5
- 8.5, 10 - 20 dGH, and a temperature at about 77 F (25 C) or slightly higher.
The female prefers spawning in caves or sometimes in areas with rocky rubble where
they will dig a spawning site next to the decor. The female will lay up to 100 eggs. These
cichlids will fiercely defend the eggs and spawn site. The fry will emerge after about 6 - 7
days, and are then essentially on their own. The free swimming fry can be fed newly
hatch brine shrimp and crushed flakes, and they will grow pretty quickly. See the
description of breeding monogamous cichlids in: Breeding Freshwater Fish: Cichlids.

Ease of Breeding: Easy

Fish Diseases
Daffodil Cichlids are fairly hardy in a properly maintained aquarium. These cichlids are
susceptible to typical fish ailments, especially if water is stale and of poor quality and
oxygenation. One common problem is Ich. It can be treated with the elevation of the tank
temperature to 86 F (30 C) for 3 days. If that does not cure the Ich, then the fish needs
to be treated with copper (remove any water conditioners). Several copper based fish
medications are available for Ich. Copper use must be kept within the proper levels, so
be sure to follow the manufacturers suggestions. A copper test also can be used to keep
the proper levels. You can also combine increasing the temperature with an Ich
medication treatment. All Tanganyikan cichlids need iodine for the thyroid to function
properly to regulate growth and development, if levels are low it can be remedied by
adding iodized table salt to the water (approximately 1 teaspoon per gallon of water).
As with most fish they are susceptible to skin flukes and other parasitic infestations
(protozoa, worms, etc.), fungal infections, and bacterial infections. It is recommended to
read up on the common tank diseases. Knowing the signs and catching and treating
them early makes a huge difference. For information about freshwater fish diseases and
illnesses, see Aquarium Fish Diseases and Treatments.

Availability

The Daffodil Cichlid is available from time to time and can be moderate to moderately
expensive. They are found both online and in fish stores and range in price depending on
whether they are juveniles or adults.

References
Animal-World References: Freshwater Fish and Plants
Dr. R?diger Riehl and Hans A. Baensch, Aquarium Atlas Vol. 3 , Voyageur Press,

1996

Mark Phillip Smith, Lake Tanganyika Cichlids, A Complete Pet Owners Manual,
2nd Edition, Barron's Educational Series, Inc. 2007

George Zurlo, David Schleser, Cichlids (Complete Pet Owner's Manual), Barron's
Edu Series, 2005

Glen S. Axelrod, Brian M. Scott, Neal Pronek, Encyclopedia Of Exotic Tropical

Fishes For Freshwater Aquariums, TFH Publications, 2005

Peter Bredell, Frank Schneidewind, Lake Tanganyika Cichlids, How to keep

successfully and enjoy these exceptional fish, Interpet Publishing , 2002

Neolamprologus pulcher (Trewavas & Poll, 1952), Fishbase.org

Neolamprologus pulcher, The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Rhett Butler, "Cichlids - Lake Tanganyika", Mongabay.com, Referenced online,

2007
Glen S. Axelrod, Rift Lake Cichlids, T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1979

Author: Clarice Brough CFS

Available From These Merchants

Neolamprologus pulcher : $12.99

Daffodil Neolamprologus Pulcher Juvenile

Offered By: That Pet Place
Price: $12.99

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Anonymous - 2010-02-01
Very nice informative article - good writing!

Stuart -

2014-12-12

Hi I am new here but this is normal Cichlid stress don't worry lots oh hiding places plants caves best with plastic plants
as they dig around in the gravel a lot
Reply

Robert Shortridge - 2014-03-21

I have two daffodil brichardi cichlids in a 37 gal tank sold to me as a breeding pair, male about 3' female about
2'. They were very skittish for the first week and the male has started to venture and open up but the female is
acting quite strange, starting yesterday staying behind the filter housing rather than in the cave she has been
in. The tank is in a high traffic hallway in the house, will this cause them excessive stress? Looking for some
enlightenment with these fish. Thank you.
Reply

kal - 2013-04-09
I just got 4 of these cichlids and they seem to be very scared every time I walk up to the tank they run and
hide is that normal.

Jeremy Roche -

2013-04-10