| Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae |
| 23.5 cm TL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 445.0 g |
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benthopelagic; freshwater; pH range: 7; dH range: 10; depth range - 5 m, potamodromous |
| Africa: middle Congo River basin in the Kwilu (Ref. 11970), Kwango, Kasai drainage (Ref. 11970, 55074) and Lomami (Ref. 106245); upper Congo River basin including the Lualaba, upper Lualaba, Lufira, Upemba region, Luvua, Lake Mweru, Luapula (Ref. 55074) and Bangweulu (Ref. 5163, 95585); Cunene, Okavango, Lake Ngami, Zambezi, Limpopo, northern tributaries of the Orange River (Ref. 5163, 11970), Cuvelai (Ref. 120641), upper Cuanza, Sabi, Lundi and Lake Malawi (Ref. 5163). |
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Dorsal spines (total): 13-15. Diagnosis: A small, deep-bodied species with a narrow head and small strong jaws (Ref. 118638). Often appearing a rich deep yellow with wide dark brown bands, and red/orange fin margins; mature adults are very dark with prominent black stripes and a patch of scarlet scales behind the head (Ref. 118638).
Description: Moderately deep-bodied; head small; frontal profile rounded to steep; caudal fin rounded (Ref. 52307).
Colouration: Body grayish-brown to bronze; sometimes with 7-8 dark vertical bars, more prominent in dorsal body parts, may be visible; dorsal fin often reddish-brown with an iridescent bluish flush in its upper parts and outlined in red, and some dark stripes in soft portion; caudal fin essentially unmarked, although in males there may occasionally be some bluish spots; outermost region anal fin fairly dark, with some pale spots at its base; pelvic fin rays may become moderately elongated and have a pale reddish-brown anterior edge (Ref. 52307). |
| Found in widely diverse habitat (Ref. 3); it favors areas where plant cover exists along the edges of rivers, lakes or swamps (Ref. 3), but tends to be confined to shallow weedy areas, so it does not build up large populations in deep lakes (Ref. 118638). It is reported to be cold-confined (Ref. 118638). Adults are omnivorous, feeding on animal and plant matter (Ref. 118638), preferentially on filamentous algae, aquatic macrophytes and vegetable matter of terrestrial origin like leaves, plants, etc. (Ref. 3). Juveniles feed on small crustaceans and midge larvae (Ref. 6465). It is forage fish for bass (Ref. 7248). A substrate spawner (Ref. 52307, 118638). Male and female form pairs to rear the young (Ref. 118638). It undertakes seasonal upstream migration and breeds before and during these migrations (Ref. 13337, 52307). A relatively small species, so unlikely to play much of a role in capture fisheries, but cultured in ponds in Njombe, Tanzania, and apparently stocked into Lake Kiungululu, Tanzania, where it is not presently exploited (Ref. 118638). |
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Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 19 June 2018 Ref. (130435)
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| harmless |
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