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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Pseudotropheus fuscus 'Chirwa Island'.jpg Pseudotropheus perspicax 'Chirwa Island'.jpg Tropheops gracilior 'Chirwa Island'.jpg Tropheops macrophthalmus 'Chirwa Island'.jpg Tropheops sp. 'mauve' Chirwa Island.jpg
Previous pageNext pageTropheops gracilior 'Chirwa Island'
Genus: Tropheops
Type locality: Vua and Deep Bay, Lake Malawi.
Biotope: Inhabits rocky habitat with caves and crevices along the shores of Lake Malawi.
Geographic distribution: Restricted to the rocky coast north of Lundu on the eastern side of the lake and north of Mundola Point on the western side.
Typical adult size: Up to 11 cm total length; females typically reach about 9 cm.
Sexual dimorphism: Males display bright powder-blue to royal-blue coloration with faint vertical barring and black pelvic fins edged in white, often with 1–3 yellow egg-spots on the anal fin; females are yellow to grey-white and lack the intense blue coloration of males.
Recommended aquarium size: An aquarium volume of 300 L with a minimum tank length of 120 cm is recommended.
Aquarium setup: Aquarium should replicate rocky habitat with abundant caves and shelters formed by rock piles, providing territories and hiding places.
Diet: Primarily herbivorous; grazes aufwuchs and epilithic algae from rocks using scraping motions, and may opportunistically consume small invertebrates or plankton.
Breeding: Oviparous maternal mouthbrooder. Males establish and defend territories in rocky caves and excavate shallow nests; females incubate fertilized eggs in the mouth for about 25 days before releasing free-swimming fry.
Aggression: Intraspecific aggression is pronounced, particularly among territorial males; generally tolerant toward other species when adequate space and shelter are provided.
Special notes: Characterized by a slender body, bicuspid outer jaw teeth and a narrow ventral mouth adapted for grazing algae from steep rock surfaces at angles of about 60°. T. gracilior was before known as T. sp. ‘black’.

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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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