Frontosa, Front, Mpimbwe "blue"

[FrontosaurusRex]

Category:

African Cichlids, Lake Tanganyika

Common Name:

Frontosa, Front, Mpimbwe "blue"

Scientific Name:

Cyphotilapia Frontosa sp. Mpimbwe

Description:

Frontosas in general are large, slow moving and even tempered cichlids that originate in Africa's largest rift lake: Lake Tanganyika. Frontosas can generally be recognized by these three characteristics: 1. Six, black vertical bars stretcing from the head to the tail. 2. A large, scaly hump located on the head. 3. Blue coloration in the dorsal, caudal, anal, pelvic, and pectoral fin. Although these characteristcs are common with all Frontosas, each species has subtle characteristics that make them unique. For instance, the Mpimbwe Frontosa (named this because it is collected in the section of Lake Tanganyika called 'Cape Mpimbwe Establishment') has a rich, bright blue coloration in all of the fins. Also, the first bar on the Mpimbwe Frontosa is located across the front of the head, and passing "through" its eyes, not over them. The body of a Mpimbwe Frontosa is also shaped differently than other Fronts, "in having three scale rows between the upper and lower lateral lines at center of body (vs two rows in C. frontosa). Furthermore, a greater number of scales on the longitudinal line (34–36 vs 33–35), fewer outer teeth on the upper jaw (31–52 vs 39–62), higher body (43.3–51.2% SL vs 38.2–46.5%), longer predorsal (37.5–44.9% SL vs 37.1–42.7% SL), longer dorsal-fin base (57.1–64.6% SL vs 53.8–60.9% SL) and longer pectoral fin (36.0–47.2% SL vs 31.3–41.7%) also distinguish the former species. The distribution of the new species is restricted to the southern half of Lake Tanganyika, whereas C. frontosa is allopatrically distributed in the northern half of the lake. (M.E. Douglas)
In my opinion, no other Frontosa comes close to the beauty of the Mpimbwe. The soft, cool blue that they produce is amazing and as adults they seem to almost develop a silver tint to their entire bodies.

Origin:

Lake Tanganyika, Africa

Max Size:

12 inches

Minimum Tank Size:

125 gallons

Swim Area:

Bottom and Middle

Life Span:

over 25 years (if well cared for)

Temperature Range (F):

79-82 degrees F

pH:

7.8-9

Hardness (dH):

12-15 dGH

Diet:

Carnivore

Additional Diet Information:

In the wild, Fronts mainly dine on Cyprichromis species but in the tank they will eat almost any small fish.

Gender Difference:

Monomorphic

Differentiating the male from the female takes a trained eye due to the many similarities between the two. Males generally have a larger hump and can grow larger than females, but an educated venting is the only certain way to tell the difference.

Breeding:

Maternal Mouthbrooder

Keeping a good ratio is key to breeding the Frontosa. 1 male for every 3 females is suggested. Also, plenty of large caves are neccessary for breeding and as usual, clean water, a healthy diet and a peaceful tank go a long way.

Temperament/Social Behavior:

• Peaceful, Aggressive, Schooling fish/Usually found in groups, Will eat smaller fish, Timid/Shy, Preditory, Territorial, Aggressive when spawning, Males aggressive toward females

Common Diseases:
Availability:

Occasionally Available

Additional Information or Photos