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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Otopharynx tetrastigma 'Kanchedza Island'.jpg Protomelas virgatus 'Kanchedza Island'.jpg Tropheops kumwera 'Kanchedza Island'.jpg
Previous pageTropheops kumwera 'Kanchedza Island'
Genus: Tropheops
Type locality: Boadzulu Island, Lake Malawi, Malawi
Biotope: Inhabits rocky habitat among small and medium-sized rocks at depths from 3 m to at least 40 m.
Geographic distribution: Reported from the southern end of Lake Malawi along the Nankumba Peninsula, from Domwe Island to Chemwezi Rocks.
Typical adult size: A rather small species reaching about 9 cm total length in the wild and up to 11 cm in aquarium.
Sexual dimorphism: Males are larger and display a sky-blue ground coloration with rather faint vertical barring, mostly on the anterior part of the body; females remain greyish and show shorter fins and smaller anal ocelli.
Recommended aquarium size: An aquarium volume of 300 L with a minimum tank length of 120 cm is recommended.
Aquarium setup: Provide abundant rock structures forming shelters over sandy areas. Avoid closely related species to reduce hybridization and territorial competition.
Diet: Feeds by nipping aufwuchs from rocks and also catches plankton in the water column.
Breeding: Maternal mouthbrooder. Males excavate a pit beneath a stone and defend the spawning site. Females incubate eggs and fry in the mouth for about three weeks before release.
Aggression: Males are weakly territorial; females are not territorial. Intraspecific aggression may occur, but the species is regarded as relatively peaceful among mbuna.
Special notes: Belongs to a group of slender mbuna with a distinctly down-turned mouth adapted for grazing on rock surfaces while maintaining a low body angle.

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Photo: © Lionel Lingelser
Photo: © Lionel Lingelser
Photo: © Roberto Rondoni
Photo: © Roberto Rondoni
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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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