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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Telmatochromis vittatus 'Chituta Bay'.jpg Trematocara macrostoma 'Chituta Bay'.jpg Trematocara nigrifrons 'Chituta Bay'.jpg Trematocara unimaculatum 'Chituta Bay'.jpg Trematochromis benthicola 'Chituta Bay'.jpg
Previous pageNext pageTrematocara nigrifrons 'Chituta Bay'
Tribe / Genus: Trematocarini / Trematocara
Type locality: Sumbu, Zambia, Lake Tanganyika.
Biotope: Muddy deep-water habitats. During the day it occurs at depths down to about 160 m and migrates to shallower water at night.
Geographic distribution: Endemic to Lake Tanganyika with a lake-wide distribution in suitable habitats.
Typical adult size: Up to about 115 mm total length.
Sexual dimorphism: No consistent differences in size or morphology between the sexes were found by Poll, although later observations suggested males may be smaller than females.
Diet: Feeds on a wide range of food items, including juvenile cichlids, shrimps, and phytoplankton.
Breeding: Maternal mouthbrooder. Females have been found carrying ripe eggs or larvae, and successful breeding in the aquarium has been reported, with incubation lasting about three weeks before fry are released.
Aggression: Very timid and non-aggressive.
Special notes: Distinguished from all other Trematocara species by having 17–21 branchiospines and five enlarged sensory pores on the infraorbitals. Male coloration consists of a single black longitudinal band on the dorsal and anal fins and a black line along the lower part of the body. The species has appeared only briefly in the aquarium hobby and has proven difficult to maintain long term.

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Photo: © Lechoslaw Latka
Photo: © Lechoslaw Latka
Photo: © Lechoslaw Latka
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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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