Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

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Nimbochromis fuscotaeniatus (unknown locality)

Genus:	Nimbochromis
Type locality:	Domira Bay, Lake Malawi
Biotope:	Shallow vegetated areas and sandy zones, also occurring in rock-sand intermediate habitats, usually within 10–15 m depth.
Geographic distribution:	Southern end of Lake Malawi, from Kande Island to Mangochi along the western shore and from Metangula (Mozambique) to Mangochi along the eastern shore; also recorded from Lake Malombe.
Typical adult size:	Up to 25 cm total length or more in aquarium.
Sexual dimorphism:	Sexually mature males are solid sky blue on head, flank, and dorsal fin. Adult females range from silvery yellow-orange to dark brown, with the basic melanin pattern usually visible.
Recommended aquarium size:	An aquarium volume of at least 750 L is recommended for a single-species group with one male and several females. For a community aquarium with several large species, an aquarium volume of at least 1000 L is recommended.
Aquarium setup:	Keep with similarly sized fishes and avoid small mbuna, Aulonocara, or other potential prey. Provide a hiding or spawning site for each species, such as caves formed by rock piles or stacked pipes, with spaces large enough for a pair to spawn.
Diet:	Piscivorous predator of mbuna and other small fishes, snapping up prey with a large mouth. In captivity it may be fed mussels and large crustaceans, and also accepts pieces of fish.
Breeding:	Maternal mouth-brooder; eggs are fertilized inside the female’s mouth. Males hold territories only during the breeding season, and in the lake breeding males may defend an area without a clearly visible spawning site. Mouthbrooding females have been observed solitary and cruising the habitat. In captivity, fry are released after about three weeks and may be taken back into the female’s mouth for five to six weeks after release.
Aggression:	Predatory and potentially dominant in community aquaria; avoid keeping more than one male in the same tank.
Special notes:	Assigned to Nimbochromis but noted as strongly resembling Tyrannochromis nigriventer. Distinguished by broad, irregular longitudinal bands and the absence of spots on the pectoral fins except in comparison with N. venustus.