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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Pseudotropheus purpuratus 'Mumbo Island'.jpg Stigmatochromis macrorhynchos 'Mumbo Island'.jpg Tropheops biriwira 'Mumbo Island'.jpg Tropheops sp. 'lilac' Mumbo Island.jpg Tropheops sp. 'mumbo' Mumbo Island.jpg
Previous pageNext pageTropheops biriwira 'Mumbo Island'
Genus: Tropheops
Type locality: Otter Island, Lake Malawi, Malawi
Biotope: Inhabits rocky habitat among large and medium-sized rocks.
Geographic distribution: Only known from Mumbo and Otter islands in the southern part of Lake Malawi.
Typical adult size: Up to 9 cm total length in wild males; females remain about 25% smaller.
Sexual dimorphism: Territorial males show a greenish-blue ground coloration with a green-yellow nape, upper shoulder and dorsal flank, plus 5–6 distinct brown bars; females are light to dark brown overall with 4–5 faint lateral dark brown bars.
Recommended aquarium size: An aquarium volume of 300 L with a minimum tank length of 120 cm is recommended.
Aquarium setup: Provide ample rocks and shelters so weaker individuals can hide. More than one adult male should only be kept together in tanks longer than 200 cm, and visually similar species should be avoided to reduce aggression and hybridization risk.
Diet: Herbivorous; feeds on blue-green algae picked from aufwuchs on rocky substrate, and also takes plankton when available.
Breeding: Mouthbrooder. Most individuals are solitary and non-territorial; spawning is suggested to occur in dark recesses of the rocky habitat, likely inside large caves. Mouthbrooding is suggested to last about three weeks; fry are suggested to be released and then abandoned.
Aggression: Intraspecific aggression can occur; generally tolerant toward other species. Males are described as only weakly territorial, while females are not territorial.
Special notes: Occurs at depths from 7 m to at least 40 m and is often encountered in large caves within rocky habitat. Characteristically clings to rock surfaces and is frequently observed in an upside-down position. The species is not found in high numbers. Before formal description it was known as Tropheops sp. ‘greenback’.

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