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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Ctenopharynx intermedius 'Makokola Reef'
Genus: Ctenopharynx
Type locality: Lake Malawi.
Biotope: Sandy and muddy bottoms, usually at depths below 20 m. Recorded as deep as 49–60 m in trawl samples. Occasionally mouthbrooding females occur near rocky parts of intermediate habitats.
Geographic distribution: Southern Lake Malawi; north to Nkhotakota on the western shore and Metangula on the eastern shore.
Typical adult size: Males up to approximately 22 cm total length; females smaller, typically up to about 16 cm.
Sexual dimorphism: Males grow significantly larger than females. Breeding males are uniformly powder blue and lack conspicuous lateral spots. Females remain smaller and less intensely colored.
Diet: Planktivorous. Feeds mainly on plankton taken just above the sand, including copepods, cladocerans, and occasionally large insect nymphs.
Breeding: Mouthbrooder. Spawning or territorial males have not been observed in the wild. Mouthbrooding females have been recorded occurring solitarily near rocky areas within intermediate habitats.
Aggression: Not well documented. Males may show aggression toward similarly colored species, particularly in captivity.
Special notes: Distinguished from other three-spotted Malawi cichlids by a very high number of gill rakers (32–41). Occurs mainly over sand, unlike Ctenopharynx pictus which prefers rocky habitats.

Photo gallery

Photo: © Ad Konings
Photo: © K&C Rift Valley Cichlids UK
Photo: © K&C Rift Valley Cichlids UK
Photo: © Malawi-Guru.de
Photo: © Malawi-Guru.de
Photo: © Malawi-Guru.de
Photo: © Malawi-Guru.de
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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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