Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps

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Bathybates vittatus 'Chituta Bay'
Tribe / Genus: Bathybatini / Bathybates
Type locality: Kilewa Bay, Lake Tanganyika.
Biotope: Deep sandy or muddy substrates, collected down to more than 200 m, close to the lower limit of the oxygen-bearing layer. Unlike some pelagic congeners, it likely hunts close to the substrate.
Geographic distribution: Endemic to Lake Tanganyika, with a lake-wide distribution in suitable habitats.
Typical adult size: Up to about 42 cm total length.
Sexual dimorphism: No clear morphological size differences between the sexes. Adult males are distinguished by strong black body markings and large yellow egg-spots on the anal fin, which are only weakly developed in females.
Aquarium setup: Presumed similar to other large Bathybates species.
Requires a very large aquarium with extensive open swimming space.
Use only a fine sand substrate; rocks, if used at all, must be smooth and carefully placed to prevent fish from becoming trapped.
Excellent water quality with efficient filtration and regular water changes is essential.
Diet: Piscivorous. Stomach content analyses indicate a diet mainly consisting of other fishes, including cichlids and clupeids, with a substantial proportion of unidentified fish remains.
Breeding: Breeding has not been observed. However, it is almost certainly a maternal mouthbrooder. Ripe females have been collected with very large eggs (around 7 mm in diameter), among the largest known within the family Cichlidae.
Special notes: Distinguished from all other Bathybates species by its horizontal black striping, paired black spots on and above the gill cover, and a unique scale pattern consisting of normal-sized scales embedded within smaller scales.

Despite its impressive size and appearance, this species has never been collected alive and remains one of the most elusive large predators of Lake Tanganyika.

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