Astatotilapia burtoni Care Guide
Astatotilapia burtoni is a wide-ranging East African mouthbrooding cichlid of the Lake Tanganyika basin, widely used as a research model organism.
Overview
Astatotilapia burtoni, Burton's mouthbrooder, is a haplochromine cichlid described by Günther in 1894. It is widespread in the Lake Tanganyika basin and surrounding waterways. Dominant territorial males are brightly coloured while subordinate males resemble females, and males bear egg-shaped spots on the anal fin used in courtship. It is an important model organism for studying cichlid behaviour, development and genomics.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Astatotilapia
- Scientific name: Astatotilapia burtoni
- Author: Günther, 1894
- Common name: Burton's mouthbrooder
Habitat
According to Wikipedia and FishBase it occurs in Lake Tanganyika and its surrounding rivers and waterways across Burundi, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zambia, including the Lukuga, Malagarazi and Rusizi rivers and the Akagera system. Habitats include slow streams, river mouths and shallow lake areas near rivers; the water is warm and alkaline.
Tank requirements
- Maximum size: about 15 cm (5.9 in) SL; common length around 12 cm (FishBase)
- Temperature: 20-25 °C (FishBase)
- pH: 8.5-9.0 (FishBase)
- dH: 12-16 (FishBase)
- Sandy substrate with rocks; keep one male with several females
Diet
FishBase gives a trophic level of about 3.1, indicating an omnivorous forager of benthic and pelagic foods. In aquaria it readily accepts prepared, frozen and live foods.
Compatibility
Males are highly territorial and can switch between territorial and non-territorial states depending on the social environment. It is kept one male with several females and with other robust African cichlids and Synodontis, away from small dwarf cichlids.
Breeding
FishBase and Wikipedia confirm maternal mouthbrooding: females incubate and protect the eggs in their mouths for roughly two weeks, while males perform complex courtship displays using their anal-fin egg-spots.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern. FishBase notes high resilience and low fishing vulnerability.