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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps
Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Lake Tanganyika cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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Also reported from the Congolese coast north of Longola, which is described as about 10 km north of Masanza and about 6 km south of Mwerazi; the northern limit there is stated to be at least as far as Cape Tembwe, while the exact boundary remains unknown.
In Tanzania, there are no populations of Ophthalmotilapia sp. ‘Whitecap’ or Ophthalmotilapia ventralis between Chisanze Point and Kitango Rocks (Kala Bay); in this stretch Ophthalmotilapia boops is reported, and Kala Bay is described as the only area where O. ventralis and O. boops co-occur.
Males have longer fins than females, especially the pelvic fins.
In simpler setups with fewer males, a slightly smaller aquarium of around 300 L may be sufficient.
It should not be housed with aggressive cichlids; tank mates should be smaller and less aggressive species so that males can become dominant and display their best coloration.
Because of the likelihood of hybridization, it should not be kept together with other species of Ophthalmotilapia.
Keeping multiple males and females can promote the development of dominance hierarchies and breeding readiness; several females per male are recommended.
Provide fine sand, as males construct volcano-shaped nests, and include substantial rockwork because this is a rocky-habitat species. A large flat rock is also recommended, as males are reported to build nests on such surfaces in the wild.
Females and non-territorial males also take plankton when available.
Males build volcano-shaped nests of sand (reported at about 10–12 cm in diameter) on top of a rock and entice a female to spawn in the center.
Egg mimicry involves the yellow lappets at the ends of the pelvic fins.
Reported clutch size is commonly about 10–16 eggs, and after spawning it is often advisable to remove the female due to male aggression.
Dominant males vigorously defend their territories and nesting sites; a larger aquarium is recommended when keeping multiple males.
It has been described as morphologically intermediate between O. ventralis and O. heterodonta, with differences stated to be subtle, including an intermediate relative body depth, along with minor reported differences in dentition and mouth structure.
Coloration has been contrasted with O. heterodonta, which is described as having a blue-grey body with a metallic sheen and a darker head, while O. sp. ‘Whitecap’ is described as rarely pale blue and instead typically darker, often with a whitish pattern on the upper body or head, and lacking a triangular black pattern described for O. heterodonta in some accounts.
Populations around Longola are described as not showing fully typical ‘Whitecap’ coloration, with yellow and orange tones on fins and parts of the body, while populations farther north are described as increasingly typical.
Geographic variants are reported, including a marked division in the Kipili archipelago: at the five northern islands (Kamamba, Kasisi, Kerenge, Mwila and Nkondwe) males are described as very dark brown to almost black, while at the three southern islands (Lupita, Mvuna and Ulwile) males are described as dark blue with orange fins, historically traded as “Jakundu” and later as “Firefin”.
A further Tanzanian variant with a neon-blue stripe on the posterior flank is reported between Pinga Point and Chisanze Point, just north of Mtego Bay, where Chisanze Point is described as the southern outpost of the species in Tanzania, and it has been noted that some variants between Mvuna Island and Mtego Bay have been considered slightly deeper-bodied than more regular forms farther north.
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