Norman's Lampeye Care Guide: Tank Size, Diet, Schooling & Tank Mates (Poropanchax normani)

Norman's Lampeye (Poropanchax normani) is one of the most underrated nano fish in the freshwater hobby. They're peaceful, easy to keep, breed readily, and have a single defining feature that gives them their name: a brilliant blue, almost LED-glowing iris that lights up under aquarium lighting like a tiny spotlight. In a planted blackwater tank, a school of 20+ Lampeyes is genuinely jaw-dropping.

This guide covers everything: tank size, water parameters, why Lampeyes do best in soft acidic water, schooling group size, diet, the best and worst tank mates, breeding, and a full FAQ.

Norman's Lampeye Quick Care Sheet

• Scientific name: Poropanchax normani
• Common names: Norman's Lampeye, Lampeye Killifish, Norman's Lampeye Killifish
• Origin: West Africa (Nigeria, Cameroon, Benin)
• Adult size: 1.5 inches
• Minimum tank size: 10 gallons for a small school; 20+ gallons ideal
• Schooling group: Minimum 8, ideally 15+ (this is a tight-schooling species)
• Temperature: 73–80°F
• pH: 5.5–7.5 (prefer the acidic end)
• Hardness: 2–10 dGH (soft water preferred)
• Lifespan: 3–5 years
• Temperament: Peaceful, slightly skittish
• Difficulty: Easy

Natural Habitat & Background

Norman's Lampeyes come from the slow-moving, soft, acidic streams and pools of West Africa — water that's tannin-stained from leaf litter, dim, and densely planted along the edges. They live in surface-level shoals, snapping at tiny insects and zooplankton.

That habitat matters because it sets your aquascape: dim lighting, dark substrate, plenty of floating plants, and a few pieces of driftwood will transform a school of Lampeyes from "pretty fish" into "look at those things glow." Bright, bare tanks wash them out completely.

We carry healthy Norman's Lampeye Killifish at our Cheyenne shop and ship them nationwide.

Tank Size & Aquascape

At only 1.5 inches max, Lampeyes are a true nano species. A 10-gallon long can hold a school of 8–10; a 20-gallon long is ideal for a properly large school of 15–20. Width and length matter more than height — they hang out near the surface.

Substrate

Dark sand or fine gravel. The contrast against their pale body makes the blue eye stripe pop dramatically.

Plants & Aquascape

Floating plants are particularly important — they break up overhead light, give Lampeyes overhead cover (they feel exposed without it), and create shaded microhabitats. Add:

• Floating plants like Red Root Floaters, Frogbit, or Salvinia (essential)
• Anubias nana petite — perfect nano hardscape plant
• Java Fern Narrowleaf attached to wood
• Cryptocoryne wendtii for midground
• Bolbitis Narrowleaf for a wispy texture

A piece of Malaysian Driftwood or a few Indian almond leaves will release tannins, gently lowering pH and giving the water that gold-brown blackwater look that brings out Lampeye colors.

Lighting

Dim to moderate. Heavy floating plant cover does most of the work; a low-output LED on a timer keeps plants alive. A Hygger 20W LED on a low setting works well.

Filtration

Gentle is the keyword. Lampeyes don't like strong current. A simple sponge filter is ideal — quiet, gentle, and doesn't suck up fry. See our filtration collection for sponge filter options.

Lid

Lampeyes are killifish — they jump. A tight-fitting glass lid is mandatory.

Water Parameters

Lampeyes are flexible but show their best in soft acidic water:

• Temperature: 73–80°F
• pH: 5.5–7.5 (6.0–6.8 ideal)
• GH: 2–10 dGH (softer is better)
• Ammonia/nitrite: 0 ppm
• Nitrate: below 20 ppm

If your tap water is hard and alkaline, that's fine for general keeping but you won't see peak color. Mixing in RO water or adding catappa leaves softens and acidifies naturally.

Make sure your tank is fully cycled before adding Lampeyes. Read our cycling guide if you're new. Dose Seachem Prime or a quality water conditioner at every water change.

Schooling Behavior & Group Size

Norman's Lampeyes are a tight-schooling species — they want lots of buddies. A school of 4 or 5 will hide constantly and stress; a school of 15–20 turns into a glittering cloud that moves as one. Eight is the bare minimum. Aim for 15+ for the real experience.

Because they're so small and cheap, this is one of the few species where you can realistically have a 20-fish school in a 20-gallon tank. It's well worth it.

Diet & Feeding

Lampeyes are surface feeders with small mouths. They eat tiny floating foods and shy away from anything that sinks fast. Variety keeps them in peak color.

Daily Staple

• Fine-crushed flake from our flakes collection — crush it small
• Xtreme Community Crave Flakes (crushed)
• Aquarium Co-Op Easy Fry & Small Fish Food — powdered, perfect particle size

Weekly Treats (for color and breeding readiness)

• Live or frozen baby brine shrimp — Lampeyes go wild for them
• Frozen daphnia and cyclops from our frozen food collection
• Microworms and vinegar eels (excellent fry foods too)

Feed 2 small meals daily. Lampeyes graze constantly when food is available — don't dump a single big meal.

Best Tank Mates for Norman's Lampeyes

Pair them with other peaceful nano fish, peaceful inverts, and small bottom dwellers. Anything that can fit a 1.5-inch fish in its mouth is off the list.

Great Choices

• Other nano fish — Chili Rasboras, Ember Tetras, nano fish collection
• Neon Tetras or Gold Neon Tetras
• Nano Corydoras like Corydoras pygmaeus or Corydoras habrosus — see our Corydoras collection
• Otocinclus for algae
• Cherry shrimp and other Neocaridina shrimp — Lampeyes leave them alone
• Peaceful snails like Nerites — see our snails collection

Avoid

• Anything over ~2 inches with a hunting instinct (most cichlids, gouramis, larger tetras)
• Bettas — bettas will harass Lampeyes and Lampeyes' fast movement will stress bettas
• Aggressive feeders that bully them away from food (Tiger Barbs, Serpae Tetras)
• Anything that needs hard alkaline water — water-chemistry mismatch

Breeding Norman's Lampeyes

Lampeyes are easy to breed — they're continuous spawners that drop a small number of eggs daily over fine-leaved plants or a spawning mop. Adults don't eat eggs aggressively, but they will pick at fry, so a separate fry rearing setup gives the best yield.

Setup

• Soft, acidic water (pH 6.0–6.8)
• Heavy plant cover or a spawning mop
• Temperature around 76–78°F
• Heavy feeding on live or frozen food

Method

Eggs are laid daily and hatch in about 10–14 days. Either pull the spawning mop every couple of days into a separate tank, or accept low-but-steady fry survival in a heavily planted display tank. Feed fry infusoria for the first week, then microworms and baby brine shrimp.

Common Health Issues

• Ich: raise temperature gradually to 80°F and treat with a gentle medication from our fish medications collection. Lampeyes are sensitive to harsh treatments — half-dose copper-based meds.
• Skinny disease: rare but possible; usually a parasite issue. Treat with a parasite med and feed enriched diet.
• Stress and fading colors: nearly always means too-small school, too-bright lighting, or hard alkaline water. Fix the husbandry first before reaching for medication.

Where to Buy Norman's Lampeyes

We stock healthy, captive-bred Norman's Lampeyes at our Cheyenne shop and ship nationwide. They're inexpensive enough that you can stock a real school of 15–20, which is what you actually want with this species. Buy big and they pay you back with one of the prettiest nano displays in the hobby.

If you're stocking a nano community, also browse our nano fish collection, beginner-friendly fish, and weekly new arrivals.

FAQ

How big do Norman's Lampeyes get?
About 1.5 inches max. They're a true nano species.

How many Norman's Lampeyes should I keep together?
Minimum 8. Aim for 15–20 for proper schooling behavior and the full visual effect.

Are Norman's Lampeyes aggressive?
No. They're peaceful and slightly skittish. Pair them with equally peaceful tank mates.

Can Norman's Lampeyes live with cherry shrimp?
Yes — adult cherry shrimp are safe. They may occasionally pick at very small shrimplets but a planted tank protects them.

Do Norman's Lampeyes need a heater?
Yes. They're tropical. 73–80°F is the right range.

Why are my Lampeyes pale?
Usually a school-size issue (too few), water too hard or alkaline, or lighting too bright. Add fish, soften water with catappa leaves, or add floating plants.

How long do Norman's Lampeyes live?
3–5 years with proper care.

Do Norman's Lampeyes jump?
Yes. They're killifish and they will jump. Always use a tight-fitting lid.

Are Norman's Lampeyes good for beginners?
Yes — they're hardy and easy to feed. They're a great first nano-schooling fish.

Visit Us in Cheyenne

Stop by our Cheyenne, WY shop to see our current Lampeye stock, or order online for nationwide shipping. We hand-select and quarantine every fish before it goes home with you. Browse our full freshwater fish collection for more nano-school inspiration.