Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps

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Xenotilapia flavipinnis 'Chituta Bay'.jpg

Xenotilapia nigrolabiata 'Chituta Bay'.jpg

Xenotilapia sp. 'bathyphilus yellow' Chituta Bay.jpg

Xenotilapia sp. 'papilio sunflower' Chituta Bay.jpg

Xenotilapia nigrolabiata 'Chituta Bay'<br><font color=gray>Red Princess</font>

Tribe / Genus:	Ectodini / Xenotilapia
Type locality:	Msamba, Lake Tanganyika
Biotope:	Deep sandy or muddy bottoms. Most commonly found at depths around 60 m, but recorded as deep as 170 m.
Geographic distribution:	Endemic to Lake Tanganyika with a lake-wide distribution. Some geographic variation is present, mainly expressed in the size of the red blotch in the dorsal fin.
Typical adult size:	Males reach up to about 13 cm total length, while females remain slightly smaller, usually up to around 11 cm.
Recommended aquarium size:	Approximately 250 liters, with a minimum aquarium length of 120–130 cm.
Aquarium setup:	Fine sand substrate, preferably not too light in color, combined with a few smooth rocks without sharp edges. Excellent water quality is essential and should be maintained through efficient filtration and weekly water changes. Lighting should initially be kept dim. Best maintained in a species-only aquarium, as this species is easily stressed and can be dominated by more aggressive or territorial fishes.
Diet:	Carnivorous. Feeds mainly on small crustaceans and other invertebrates. Unlike many congeners, it usually forages from the upper layer of the substrate and only rarely pushes its head deep into the sand.
Breeding:	Maternal mouthbrooder. Spawning occurs on open sandy or muddy substrate, without construction of any nest or sand-scrape. Clutch size is small, usually around 10–15 eggs. The female incubates eggs and larvae for about 15–21 days. Upon release the fry are already free-swimming, and no post-release brood care is provided.
Aggression:	Generally peaceful, both toward conspecifics and other species.
Special notes:	Easily distinguished from all other species of Xenotilapia by the presence of tricuspid teeth on the jaws. Previously referred to as the undescribed Xenotilapia sp. “Red Princess”, but later shown to represent a geographical variant of Xenotilapia nigrolabiata.