Stigmatochromis modestus Breeding Guide

Breeding Stigmatochromis modestus, a piscivorous ambush hap from Lake Malawi's rocky habitat: sexing, harem spawning and maternal mouthbrooding of around 60 eggs.

Overview

Stigmatochromis modestus is a haplochromine cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi, commonly found in rocky habitat where it lives among the rocks. FishBase gives a maximum length of 25.0 cm TL. It is an ambush predator that feeds by ambushing its fish prey in the dark recesses of the habitat.

Sexing

As a Lake Malawi haplochromine the species shows the sexual dimorphism typical of the group, with dominant males developing the strongest nuptial colour while females remain plainer. The most strongly coloured fish in a group are mature males.

Conditioning

As a piscivore that feeds by ambushing fish prey, broodstock should be conditioned on a meaty, protein-rich diet. Provide rockwork with dark recesses to match the natural ambush habitat, and maintain stable, firm, alkaline rift-lake water; settled, well-fed adults are far more likely to come into spawning condition.

Breeding Setup

House the species in a large tank with plenty of rockwork and open substrate, keeping one male with several females so courtship is divided across the group. Open sand within the rockwork provides spawning sites.

Spawning Behaviour & Trigger

Stigmatochromis modestus is a maternal mouthbrooder. A receptive female lays her eggs and immediately takes them into her mouth; reports describe up to around 60 eggs being collected. The male fertilises the brood as the female collects the eggs.

Egg & Fry Care

The female incubates the eggs and larvae in her buccal cavity for roughly three weeks, as is typical for Lake Malawi haps, before releasing the free-swimming fry. Because the adults are predatory and the species naturally hunts smaller fish from the dark recesses of its rocky habitat, released fry are best reared away from larger fish in a separate tank with their own refuges, where they can grow on suitably sized live and prepared foods.

Common Challenges

The main challenges are housing a predatory cichlid that may eat smaller tankmates and providing the firm alkaline water of Lake Malawi. Because the species naturally ambushes prey from the dark recesses of its rocky habitat, ample rockwork with shaded crevices helps the fish settle and behave naturally, which in turn supports breeding. As with all maternal mouthbrooders, the holding female stops feeding while incubating and should be conditioned well beforehand to avoid loss of condition during the three-week brooding period.