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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Protomelas taeniolatus 'Cape Kaiser'.jpg Stigmatochromis modestus 'Cape Kaiser'.jpg Tropheops gracilior 'Cape Kaiser'.jpg Tropheops sp. 'mauve yellow' Cape Kaiser.jpg Tropheops sp. 'red cheek north' Cape Kaiser.jpg
Previous pageNext pageTropheops gracilior 'Cape Kaiser'
Genus: Tropheops
Type locality: Vua and Deep Bay, Lake Malawi.
Biotope: Inhabits rocky habitat with caves and crevices along the shores of Lake Malawi.
Geographic distribution: Restricted to the rocky coast north of Lundu on the eastern side of the lake and north of Mundola Point on the western side.
Typical adult size: Up to 11 cm total length; females typically reach about 9 cm.
Sexual dimorphism: Males display bright powder-blue to royal-blue coloration with faint vertical barring and black pelvic fins edged in white, often with 1–3 yellow egg-spots on the anal fin; females are yellow to grey-white and lack the intense blue coloration of males.
Recommended aquarium size: An aquarium volume of 300 L with a minimum tank length of 120 cm is recommended.
Aquarium setup: Aquarium should replicate rocky habitat with abundant caves and shelters formed by rock piles, providing territories and hiding places.
Diet: Primarily herbivorous; grazes aufwuchs and epilithic algae from rocks using scraping motions, and may opportunistically consume small invertebrates or plankton.
Breeding: Oviparous maternal mouthbrooder. Males establish and defend territories in rocky caves and excavate shallow nests; females incubate fertilized eggs in the mouth for about 25 days before releasing free-swimming fry.
Aggression: Intraspecific aggression is pronounced, particularly among territorial males; generally tolerant toward other species when adequate space and shelter are provided.
Special notes: Characterized by a slender body, bicuspid outer jaw teeth and a narrow ventral mouth adapted for grazing algae from steep rock surfaces at angles of about 60°. T. gracilior was before known as T. sp. ‘black’.

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Photo: © Mark Thomas
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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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