All fish / Cichlidae

Frontosa (Zaire Blue)

Cyphotilapia gibberosa

Also known as zaire blue frontosa, blue zaire frontosa, frontosa, moba frontosa, kapampa frontosa, mpimbwe frontosa, zambia blue frontosa, southern frontosa, humphead cichlid, frontosa cichlid, ฟรอนโตซ่า, フロントーサ

A large, slow-moving Tanganyikan cichlid with a deep body, bold dark vertical bars and an often intense blue sheen, with adult males growing a prominent forehead hump. It was split from Cyphotilapia frontosa in 2003 and covers the southern lake forms such as Moba, Kapampa and Mpimbwe. Keepers value it for its stately behaviour, long life and striking colour.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

30 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

7.8 to 9

Smallest tank

750 litres

Keep as

One male with several females, ideally a group of 6 or more

Diet

Carnivore: quality sinking cichlid pellets, krill, mysis, shrimp and fish fillet

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

15 to 25 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Southern Lake Tanganyika (Zambia, Tanzania, DR Congo)

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder in which the female carries a small number of large eggs and fry for four to six weeks. Captive breeding is fairly straightforward in a large, settled harem, though growth is slow and broods are small.

Good to know

Adults will eat any fish small enough to fit in their mouths, so avoid small tankmates such as shell dwellers. They need very large tanks and hard, alkaline, very clean water, and wild-caught Moba stock is costly.