Frontosa
Scientific Name(s): Cyphotilapia frontosa
Common Name(s): Frontosa, Hump Head, Hump Head Cichlid
Maximum Size: 16 inches
Life Span: 15 years
Natural Habitat: African Lake Tanganyika
Minimum Tank Size: 150 gallons / 560+ L
Tank Region: Bottom to middle of tank
Possible Tank Mates: Other frontosa
Description: The Frontosa's body has six black stripes on a white background. The extremities will stay white or light blue in color. Both the male and the female will develop the cranial hump on the forehead but the male hump will be larger and more pronounced. They are a gently tolerant community fish and don't look for trouble, but they will defend a territory once they have established one. Even though they are quite peaceful beware of keeping smaller fish in your aquarium. The Frontosa will stealthily snatch up a small fishy snack if it is available! These are deep water fish rather than cave dwellers. They are best kept in groups of 8 to 12 in a very large aquarium with plenty of room to swim. A 150 gallon aquarium is recommended with a sandy bottom and rock structures creating fissures to hide in.
Temperature Range 74°F - 79°F
pH Range 7.8 - 9
Breeding Information: Frontosa are harem spawners. Wild fish do best when one male is in a tank with 4-6 females. You can have more than one male but he will be harassed. Some people will put 2 or 3 males with 10 to 12 females in a 400+ gallon tank. A large breeding colony can produce a hundred fry a month. Two things worth pointing out is that C. frontosa have huge eggs and that the incubation period for the eggs in excess of thirty days.
Sexing Information: A large nauchal hump usually indicates the dominant male but is not always the case. Males grow larger and quicker than females so if a group has grown up together the largest is most likely a male. If the dominant male is removed a subdominant male will take its place. The most reliable way to sex these fish is by 'venting'.
Diet: Omnivorous - does well with flake or pellet food. Can be fed freeze-dried or frozen krill or plankton as a treat.
Temperment: Peaceful and a bit shy