Moba Frontosa Care Guide
The Moba Frontosa is a blue form of Cyphotilapia gibberosa from Moba, DRC, with thin black bars; a large slow-growing Tanganyika centrepiece.
Overview
The Moba Frontosa is a regional form of Cyphotilapia gibberosa from Moba on the Democratic Republic of the Congo shore of Lake Tanganyika. It has a blue body with comparatively thin black bars and a prominent forehead hump in mature males. It is a slow-growing, long-lived centrepiece cichlid.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Cyphotilapia
- Scientific name: Cyphotilapia gibberosa "Moba"
- Note: a southern-lake regional form of C. gibberosa
Habitat
Cyphotilapia gibberosa is endemic to Lake Tanganyika and occupies the coastal region of the southern half of the lake. Its type specimen was caught at 34 m, with schools at 30-40 m or deeper. The Moba form originates from the Congolese coast.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 700 L
- Temperature: 24-27 °C (75-81 °F)
- pH: 8.5-9.2
- GH: 12-25 °dGH
- Group size: keep a colony of 5 or more
- Lifespan: 15-25 years
Diet
C. gibberosa is a deep-water predator feeding on shoaling fish and invertebrates. In the aquarium it takes meaty foods. Adults are fed sparingly, typically once daily, in keeping with the slow metabolism.
Compatibility
Semi-aggressive and kept as a colony, the Moba Frontosa suits mid-water Cyprichromis and Synodontis multipunctatus. Small fish risk predation. Avoid mbuna and Tropheus, which are too boisterous for this calm species.
Breeding
It is a maternal mouthbrooder; the female incubates eggs in her mouth. Captive breeding is intermediate and slow because of the species' growth rate.
Conservation status
Cyphotilapia gibberosa has not been formally evaluated on the IUCN Red List. Its relative C. frontosa is listed as Near Threatened due to fishing pressure in the lake.