Frontosa (Cyphotilapia frontosa) Care Guide
A majestic deep-water cichlid from Lake Tanganyika with bold black and white vertical bars and a distinctive nuchal hump in mature males. A slow grower that can reach 35 cm and live over 20 years.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Cyphotilapia frontosa is a species in the family Cichlidae. A majestic deep-water cichlid from Lake Tanganyika with bold black and white vertical bars and a distinctive nuchal hump in mature males. A slow grower that can reach 35 cm and live over 20 years. Despite its size, it is relatively peaceful.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Cyphotilapia
- Scientific name: Cyphotilapia frontosa
- Other names: Humphead Cichlid
- Origin: Africa, Lake Tanganyika
Habitat
Endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it inhabits rocky drop-offs at depths of 10-50 m. Forms harems of one male with several females and feeds primarily on shoaling cyprinids at dawn and dusk. Modern revisions split the complex into several species (C. frontosa s.s., C. gibberosa, C. sp. "north"), each restricted to a different lake basin.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 500 L
- Temperature: 24-27 °C
- pH: 7.5-9
- GH: 10-20 °dGH
- Water flow: moderate
- Adult size: 25-35 cm
- Lifespan: 15-25 years
- Recommended group size: ≥ 5
- Difficulty: intermediate
Diet
Classified as carnivore. Recommended feeding frequency: 1x daily. In captivity, offer a varied diet appropriate to the species — quality prepared foods supplemented with frozen or live items of suitable size.
Compatibility
- Temperament: semi-aggressive
- Swimming level: middle
- Compatible tank mates: Synodontis Petricola, Other Tanganyikan Cichlids
- Avoid with: Mbunas, Small Fish, Aggressive Mbuna
Breeding
- Breeding strategy: mouthbrooder
- Breeding difficulty: intermediate
Frontosa Breeding Guide (Cyphotilapia frontosa)
Overview
The Frontosa, Cyphotilapia frontosa, is a large, slow-growing cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika, where it lives at depth and can exceed 33 cm and live over 25 years. It is a maternal, ovophilous mouthbrooder that is commonly bred in aquaria, though sexual maturity takes several years.
Sexing
Frontosa is essentially monomorphic. Adult males tend to grow larger, develop extended fins, and show a more pronounced nuchal hump than females, but juveniles cannot be sexed accurately.
Conditioning
These fish are slow-maturing and best conditioned in a stable, mature colony. FishBase reports a temperature range of 24 to 26 degrees Celsius and hard alkaline water around pH 8.0 or higher with hardness of about 8 to 12 dH.
Breeding Setup
Frontosa uses a harem breeding system; males are polygynous and should ideally be offered at least three to four females each. A large tank with low water movement and subdued lighting is preferred for breeding.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
Because the eggs are large, broods are small, typically 10 to 50 eggs depending on the size of the female. The female takes the eggs into her mouth shortly after they are laid and fertilised.
Egg & Fry Care
The female incubates the eggs in her buccal cavity for an extended period of about 35 to 50+ days. Early-hatching embryos begin feeding on particles inhaled by the female while still in her mouth, so the female feeds for both herself and the young. Brooding females practice buccal feeding, and regular offerings of Artemia nauplii support fry development; fry remain in the mouth until independently viable.
Common Challenges
The very long maturation time and slow growth test patience, and the large adult size with high bioload demands a sizeable, well-filtered tank. Small brood sizes mean yields per spawn are modest compared to other mouthbrooders.