Astatotilapia latifasciata Care Guide
Astatotilapia latifasciata is a hardy mouthbrooding cichlid endemic to Uganda's Lake Kyoga system, widely traded as "zebra obliquidens".
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Astatotilapia latifasciata is a haplochromine cichlid described by Regan in 1929. It is endemic to Uganda's Lake Kyoga system, including Lake Bisina and Lake Nawampasa, not the main Lake Victoria. In the aquarium trade it is frequently sold as Haplochromis "zebra obliquidens", which causes confusion with the distinct Haplochromis obliquidens. It is easily bred in captivity.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Astatotilapia
- Scientific name: Astatotilapia latifasciata
- Author: Regan, 1929
- Synonym: Haplochromis latifasciatus; trade "zebra obliquidens"
Habitat
FishBase and Wikipedia restrict it to the Lake Kyoga system in Uganda (Lakes Kyoga, Bisina and Nawampasa). It is a freshwater, benthopelagic fish of warm, alkaline waters typical of the region.
Tank requirements
- Maximum size: about 11 cm (4.3 in) (FishBase, Wikipedia)
- Temperature: 24-28 °C (KB record, warm region water)
- pH: 7.5-8.5 (KB record, alkaline water)
- Sandy substrate with rock structures
- Keep one male with several females
Diet
FishBase gives a trophic level of about 3.3, consistent with an omnivorous diet. In aquaria it readily takes prepared, frozen and live foods.
Compatibility
A hardy, prolific Victorian-region hap, kept one male with several females to spread aggression. It suits robust community tanks with other African Rift Lake cichlids of similar temperament and Synodontis catfish.
Breeding
It is a maternal mouthbrooder and, per Wikipedia, is easily bred in captivity, with the female carrying eggs and fry in her mouth.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Critically Endangered. Its wild range is small and threatened, so aquarium populations help conserve the species.
Astatotilapia latifasciata Breeding Guide
Overview
Astatotilapia latifasciata, widely sold as Zebra Obliquidens, is a robust Victorian-region haplochromine endemic to Lake Kyoga and the much smaller neighbouring Lake Nawampasa in central Uganda. It reaches about 12.5 cm. The species is a prolific maternal mouthbrooder and one of the more readily bred African haps, though it is reported as critically endangered in the wild while common in captivity.
Sexing
Males are slightly larger and more colourful, showing a bright yellow body with broad black bars and red finnage, and they bear egg-shaped spots on the anal fin. Females are duller. A varied diet including shrimp and krill helps intensify male coloration.
Conditioning
Feed a varied omnivore diet to bring females into condition; protein-rich foods such as shrimp, krill and insect larvae support male colour and female egg development. Stable hard, alkaline water keeps the colony in spawning condition.
Breeding Setup
Breed in a species tank as a harem of roughly one male to four females (at least three), in an aquarium of about 48 inches (120 cm) aquascaped with rocky outcrops and areas of sand to serve as spawning sites; hardy plants such as Anubias or Vallisneria can be added. The wide male-to-female ratio spreads out courtship aggression.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
The male holds a territory and displays to attract a ripe female. The female lays eggs and collects them into her mouth; the male's anal-fin egg spots prompt the collecting behaviour, during which fertilisation occurs orally. Spawning is maternal mouthbrooding.
Egg & Fry Care
Females usually lay 20–60 eggs depending on size. The fry hatch in about 8 days and become free-swimming by around day 20. Released fry accept brine shrimp nauplii, daphnia or crushed flake, and the mother protects them once free-swimming; isolating a holding female improves survival.
Common Challenges
Keep a single male per tank to control courtship aggression. Because look-alike Victorian-region species are common in the trade, keep this species apart from similar yellow-and-black haps to avoid hybridisation, and maintain its captive line carefully given its endangered status in the wild.