Frontosa Cichlid

Distribution:
   The Frontosa Cichlid or Humphead Cichlid was described by Boulenger in 1906, originally as Paratilapia frontosa. They are endemic to Lake Tanganyika, Africa. They live on the sloping lake bottom off shore at depths of 65 - 100 feet (20 - 30 meters).  They dwell among the rocks feeding on snails and mussels.

Status:
   This species is listed on the IUCN Red List with the status of 'LC', meaning 'Least Concern'.

Description:
   The Frontosa's body has six black stripes on a white background. The extremities will stay white or light blue in color. Both the male and the female will develop the cranial hump on the forehead but the male hump may be larger and more pronounced. This fish may live 25 years.
   Variations of this fish found in the more southern parts of Lake Tanganyika were described by Takahashi and Nakaya in 2003 as Cyphotilapia gibberosa. This group is accepted as a new species in the scientific community. They are very similar to the Frontosa Cichlid Cyphotilapia frontosa, but all are noted for having six dark stripes rather than seven. However there is one variant of the original Frontosa Cichlid from the northern area that also has six stripes.

Size - Weight:
   These fish get up to 14.0 inches (35 cm).

Care and feeding:
   Since they are carnivorous the Frontosa Cichlid will generally eat all kinds of live foods. In the wild they feed on shellfish such as snails and molluscs. In the aquarium it is a slow feeder and will eat pellets as well as a variety of meaty foods such as feeder fish, worms and crustaceans; ie. mysis, shrimp, and krill. Frozen foods such as brine shrimp is also considered as a good protein source.
   A minimum 30 gallon tank can house a single specimen, but they do best kept in groups of at least 5 and ideally 8 - 12. A minimum 125 gallon tank will be needed, with larger (200 gallons plus) being better. They need good water movement along with very strong and efficient filtration. The males are quite shy and need rocks and cave formations for retreat. Make sure all rocks are firm on the bottom as these fish are quite quick but clumsy if startled. They also need plenty of open swimming areas. Plants are not essential though they do not harm them, nor do they burrow.
   Do normal water changes of only 10% to 20% a week, or more frequent depending on the nitrite/ammonia levels and stocking numbers. The Lake Tanganyikan cichlids cannot handle large water changes very well unless the new water chemistry closely matches the water they are in. This inability to tolerate large water changes is due to Lake Tanganyika being very deep and the water tends to stay stable.

Water Region: Top, Middle, Bottom:
   These fish will swim in all areas of the aquarium.

Acceptable Water Conditions:
   Hardness: 12-15° dGH
   Ph: 8.0 - 8.5, wild caught specimens prefer the higher Ph.
  Temp: 74-79° F (24-26° C)

Several things all Lake Tanganyikan cichlids need are:

1. Stable temperatures kept within acceptable limits. Anything under 72° F and over 86° F for too long is not tolerated by many of these fish (for ich, a few days at 86° F is acceptable according to one author)..
2. Lots of oxygen to survive. Lake Tanganyika is a very oxygen rich lake. Bubblers need to be going day and night, even if there are plants.
3. Avoid overfeeding and overstocking.
4. Do a 10-20% water change weekly.
5. Regularly check nitrates (no more than 25 ppm), Ph (less than 7 is not tolerated), total hardness and carbonate hardness.

Social Behaviors:
   They are fairly non-aggressive community fish although they can be territorial. They don't burrow or disturb plants A group of one male with three or more females can be kept together or they can be kept in a group of 8 - 12 individuals. They can also be kept in a larger aquarium with other durable fish. If kept in a community type environment, the tank mates need to be pretty good size in relation to the Frontosa Cichlid as this fish is a predator and will eat smaller fishes. Any fish smaller than about 3" may be at risk of being eaten by an adult.

Sexual Differences:
   Although it is hard to tell, the male is larger, and often has a more pronounced cranial hump than the female.

Breeding/Reproduction:
   The Frontosa are egg layers and they form matriarchal families. The female is a mouth brooder, she prefers spawning in caves and will lay about 50 eggs. See the description of openly polygamous cichlids in Breeding Freshwater Fish.

Also, check here for a good description of captive breeding:
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cyphomaniacs.php

Buy Frontosa Cichlids From LiveAquaria.com

Availability:
   The Frontosa Cichlid is not always available and is still fairly expensive. They are found both online and in fish stores ranging from $5 - $100 USD, depending on color variety and whether they are juveniles or adults. Wild caught specimens are generally more costly than tank bred specimens.

Author: David Brough, CFS and Clarice Brough, CFS