page_title: Shell dwellers
section_title: Diet
hierarchical_section_title: Shell dwellers / Diet
context_page_description: The terms shell dwellers or shelldwellers, shell-breeding, or ostracophil are descriptive terms for cichlid fish that use the empty shells of aquatic snails as sites for breeding and shelter. The terms have no taxonomic basis, although most shell-dwelling cichlids are from Lake Tanganyikas lamprologine lineage. Many shell dwelling cichlids are popular with fishkeepings and are frequently kept in aquaria.
context_section_description: Shell dwellers are carnivores that primarily feed on zooplankton and other microscopic and near-microscopic foods.
  Cichlids' distinctive pharyngeal teeth, in the throat of the fish, are present in shell dwellers, though small. Armed with those and the usual teeth along with the typical dissolving qualities of water shell dwellers can eat a variety of foods in the wild and in captivity. Many species have been known to pull small snails from their shells to eat, to catch and devour the fry of other fish, and to go after small crustaceans.
caption: A shell-dwelling male Lamprologus stappersi displays his dominance.
exif: {"Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "GIMP 2.10.4", "Image DateTime": "2018:10:05 14:47:43"}