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General information – the gold ocellatus are found in areas of Lake Tanganica that touch Burundi, the Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia. The Gold ocellatus inhabits coastal regions where sandy shores are littered with empty shells of the snail Neothauma Tanganicensis. These shells provide shelter and a spawn site to the Gold ocellatus. Common Name - Gold ocellatus Scientific Name - Lamprologus ocellatus Family - Cichlidae Origin - Africa, Lake Tanganyika Size – 5-6 cm (2-2.4 inches) First discovered - Steindachner, 1909 Photo by: Dr. Gal Goshen Nutrition – carnivore, will accept flake and pellet food but also require meaty food, frozen or live food will be ideal for the Gold ocellatus Behavior – Mildly Aggressive Maintenance and care – A 60-80 cm aquarium is recommended, with a 3-5 cm sandy soil, and some suitable plants such as Anubias barteri 'Nana' , Sagittaria subulata can be nice addition to the tank, the Gold ocellatus need shells (Neothauma Tanganicensis shell or apple snail shell) in the tank in order to find shelter and as a place to spawn. Best kept to themselves in a small species tank. Water Parameters – Temperature: 75F-81F (24C-27C), PH: 7.8- 9, GH: 12-20 Breeding – The Gold ocellatus is a Shell Spawner. Best kept a male with 3-4 females, the male can spawn with more then one female. The female will lay the eggs in the shell and then the male will milt them. The female will stay in the shell to fan the eggs for a few hours at a time until they hatch.
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