Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

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Tramitichromis sp. 'orange top' Lumbira.jpg

Genus:	Tropheops
Type locality:	Lumbira, Lake Malawi, Tanzanian
Biotope:	Inhabits rocky habitat without significant sediment, occurring over rock substrates and along rock–sand interfaces to depths of at least 12 m.
Geographic distribution:	Recorded from Matema to Kirondo along the eastern Tanzanian coast and from Mdoka to Chirwa Island along the western Malawian coast; also reported from Chizumulu Island.
Typical adult size:	A medium-large species reaching approximately 11–13 cm total length.
Sexual dimorphism:	Males display a plain lemon-yellow coloration, usually with a single large anal ocellus, longer fins and a broader anal egg-spot; females are pinkish to beige-yellow with dotted fins and smaller 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 and shelters forming territories and spawning sites. Males defend relatively large areas for feeding and breeding.
Diet:	Primarily algivorous; feeds on aufwuchs by firmly grasping attached algae with closely set teeth and shaking to detach it from the substrate. Plankton is also consumed.
Breeding:	Maternal mouthbrooder. Males excavate a pit beneath a stone and defend the spawning territory; females incubate eggs and fry in the mouth for about three weeks before release.
Aggression:	Very aggressive toward conspecifics and other tank inhabitants. Males are highly territorial and defend large feeding and spawning areas.
Special notes:	Characterized by a very high-bodied form, steep angular head profile and extremely narrow mouth among the most specialized within the genus. Part of the so-called “Midas mbuna” group of uniformly yellow species that show strong colour convergence across genera, typically with a single large anal ocellus in males. Some populations show variation in intensity of yellow coloration and anal fin patterning.