Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps

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Interochromis loocki 'Kisambala'.jpg Lamprologus callipterus 'Kisambala'.jpg Lobochilotes labiatus 'Kisambala'.jpg Neolamprologus christyi 'Kisambala'.jpg Neolamprologus sexfasciatus 'Kisambala'.jpg
Previous pageNext pageLobochilotes labiatus 'Kisambala'
Tribe / Genus: Tropheini / Lobochilotes
Type locality: Kinyamkolo (Mpulungu), Lake Tanganyika, Zambia.
Biotope: Deep rocky habitats.
Geographic distribution: Occurs around Lake Tanganyika, mainly along rocky shores with sandy patches (intermediate habitat).
Typical adult size: Males reach up to about 37 cm total length, while females grow to approximately 25 cm.
Recommended aquarium size: At least 500 L.
Aquarium setup: The aquarium should provide plenty of open swimming space, as this species is an active swimmer. In addition, numerous rocks should be arranged to form passages and caves. The substrate should consist of medium-grain sand. Due to extreme aggression, only one male should be kept together with several females. Multiple males will usually fight until only the strongest remains. All fish smaller than about 10 cm are likely to be prey, so only large and robust Tanganyikan cichlids, such as Cyphotilapia frontosa, are suitable tank mates.
Diet: Carnivorous. In the aquarium it readily accepts a wide range of foods, including flakes, pellets, snails, Tubifex, as well as frozen and live foods.
Breeding: Uniparental mouthbrooder. The female can brood up to about 400 fry, carrying them for approximately 25–30 days.
Aggression: Extremely aggressive toward conspecifics and often highly aggressive toward other fish species.
Special notes: A tropheine species characterized by its lobed, triangular lips in adults. The pharyngeal dentition is molar-shaped, with conical teeth on the sides of the pharyngeal bone. Jaw teeth are conical in adults and bi- or tricuspid in juveniles. The coloration is light beige with vertical barring, reminiscent of Simochromis or Limnotilapia. It is the largest known member of the Tropheini.

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Photo: © Tautvydas Pangonis
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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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