Species learning profile
Frontosa cichlid
Cyphotilapia frontosa
Frontosa cichlid (Cyphotilapia frontosa) is a freshwater fish associated with lake habitat in Africa. Adults rise from deep rocky slopes at dawn to feed.
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At a glance
- Water
- Fresh water
- Habitat
- Lake
- Maximum length
- 33 cm
- Range
- Africa
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Order
- Cichliformes
Observe
How to identify Frontosa cichlid
- Adults rise from deep rocky slopes at dawn to feed.
- Guide context: lake habitat in Africa.
- Reported maximum length: 33 cm — up to about the length of a guitar. Maximum is not the same as typical adult size.
Field note: color, size, and markings can change with age, sex, season, depth, and lighting. Use several traits together.
Place and pattern
Where it lives—and how it behaves
Habitat and range
This species is associated with lake habitat across Africa. Temperature, oxygen, depth, and shoreline cover divide a lake into very different living zones.
Behavior
Lives in social groups over deep reefs
Food-web connections
What it eats and why it matters
Diet
Fish and large invertebrates.
Ecological role
A deep-water predator unique to Lake Tanganyika.
Remember
One fact worth keeping
Adults rise from deep rocky slopes at dawn to feed.
Think like a conservationist
A conservation lens
Healthy lake populations depend on suitable temperature and oxygen, clean spawning areas, and balanced harvest and food webs.
This habitat lens is not a current population-status assessment. Status can differ among regions and change as new assessments are published; follow the reference links and local fisheries or wildlife agencies for current decisions.
Recall
Quick knowledge check
Which habitat is most closely associated with Frontosa cichlid in this guide?
Keep exploring
References and further reading
Fishdle summarizes stable identification and ecology concepts in plain language. Taxonomy and population knowledge continue to change, so use primary assessments and regional authorities for conservation or management decisions.
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