Norman's lampeye
Norman's lampeye is a tiny, peaceful killifish-relative famous for the brilliant iridescent blue eyes that glow above its slender silver body. It comes from calm, well-vegetated stretches of West and Central African rivers, ponds and pools. This is a true shoaling species that must be kept in groups of at least ten to feel secure and display its best colour, so a densely planted tank with subdued lighting, gentle flow and dark substrate suits it well. Keep the water soft and slightly acidic to neutral at 23-27 C. It is a peaceful micro-predator that eats small live and frozen foods such as daphnia, cyclops, baby brine shrimp and fine flake. Its small size makes it ideal for nano and community aquariums with other calm, small fish and dwarf shrimp.
Water parameters
| Temperature | 23 – 27 °C |
|---|---|
| pH | 6 – 7.5 |
| Carbonate hardness (KH) | 2 – 10 °dKH |
| General hardness (GH) | 3 – 12 °dGH |
Tank & stocking
| Minimum tank volume | 55 L |
|---|---|
| Volume budget per individual | 3 L — adds up with tank-mates |
| Minimum group size | 10 individuals (shoaling) |
“Minimum tank volume” is a reasonable floor, not an absolute limit. The per-individual budget is used by the Aqua app to estimate how heavily a tank is stocked.
Frequently asked questions
What size aquarium does Norman's lampeye need?
Provide at least 55 litres for a small group to keep Norman's lampeye in good conditions.
What water parameters does Norman's lampeye need?
A temperature of 23–27 °C, pH 6–7.5.
Is Norman's lampeye peaceful or aggressive?
Its temperament is peaceful.
What does Norman's lampeye eat?
Its diet: omnivore.
How many Norman's lampeye should be kept together?
It is a social species: keep a group of at least 10.
How big does Norman's lampeye get?
Around 4 cm as an adult.
Is Norman's lampeye suitable for beginners?
Care level: intermediate.
Planning a tank with Norman's lampeye?
AquaTender turns these parameters into live advice: it checks whether your tank is big enough, how heavily it's stocked, and whether your fish are compatible — then tracks water tests, photos and maintenance for you.
Fish from the same biotope
Report an error on this page
Care data is community-assisted. Spotted something wrong? Let us know — it won't change the page instantly, but it goes to moderation.
Care data is generated and manually reviewed; always cross-check before major decisions. ← Back to the encyclopedia