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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Chilotilapia rhoadesii.jpg Chilotilapia rhoadesii 'Boadzulu Island'.jpg Chilotilapia rhoadesii 'Chembe Beach'.jpg
Previous pageChilotilapia rhoadesii 'Chembe Beach'
Genus: Chilotilapia
Type locality: Lake Malawi.
Biotope: Muddy habitats in both shallow and deep water. Occurs at depths from about 5 m down to over 100 m. Requires substrates rich in mud and snails.
Geographic distribution: Lake-wide distribution throughout Lake Malawi.
Typical adult size: Males up to about 30 cm total length. Females up to about 20 cm.
Sexual dimorphism: Males grow larger and develop breeding coloration. Females remain smaller and resemble non-breeding males.
Recommended aquarium size: At least 1000 L.
Aquarium setup: Large aquarium with extensive open areas. Soft substrate (sand/mud) is essential. Provide ample space rather than dense rockwork.
Diet: Carnivorous, specialized molluscivore. Feeds mainly on snails. Uses powerful jaws and pharyngeal teeth to crush smaller shells, while extracting snails from larger shells.
Breeding: Maternal mouthbrooder. Lives in large schools, often exceeding 100 individuals. Usually only one male in a school shows breeding coloration. Breeding males become territorial and clear spawning platforms in muddy substrate, often marked by heaps of empty snail shells. Mouthbrooding females remain within the school.
Aggression: Generally a relatively peaceful cichlid. Can be highly aggressive toward very similar-looking species. Not recommended to keep together with other Chilotilapia species.
Special notes: Notable for its highly specialized dentition adapted to snail crushing. One of the few Malawi cichlids with such extreme molluscivorous adaptations.

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Photo: © Ad Konings
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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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