Frontosa

Water parameters

Tolerated range for this species. Aim for the middle of each band rather than the extremes.

Tank and habitat

Substrate: sand.

Behavior

Plant interaction: destroys most plants.

Typically wild-caught; acclimate slowly.

Feeding

Carnivore. Cichlid pellets, frozen krill, silversides, prawn. Feeds naturally at dawn and dusk in deep water; in captivity will eat during the day but feeding at dim-light times reduces stress.

Nocturnal feeder; drop food after lights out.

Compatibility

• Deep-water predator in the wild; eats sleeping sardines (Cyprichromis) by ambushing them at night. Will eat any fish small enough to swallow
• Slow-growing and slow-moving for a large cichlid. Not a basher like oscar or jack dempsey; dominance is established through posturing and the occasional lip-lock
• Keep in groups of 1 male to 4-5 females. Harems work; single pairs often fail because the male focuses aggression on one fish
• The cranial hump develops with age and is larger in males; immature frontosa look nothing like the adults on magazine covers. Patience required; full size takes 4-5 years
• Not compatible with mbuna; the smaller mbuna harass the slower frontosa and steal food

Origin and habitat

Endemic to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. C. frontosa occupies the northern half of the lake; the closely related C. gibberosa (described by Takahashi and Nakaya in 2003) inhabits the southern half. A deep-water cichlid: recorded depths run from 30 m down to 100 m and more. Wild aggregations of up to 1,000 individuals patrol rocky slopes. Individual size increases with depth; the largest specimens come from the deepest water. Rises to shallow water in early morning to feed on shoaling Cyprichromis. The 7-stripe form from Kigoma is the "true" C. frontosa; most trade fish labeled "frontosa" are regional variants, some now reclassified as C. gibberosa. Burundi (6-stripe) is the most common and readily available (Sanctuary Cichlids). The Blue Zaire group (Kapampa, Moba) develops intense blue coloration and commands the highest prices, though it is a form of the southern congener, C. gibberosa. The defining feature of adults is the nuchal hump, a fatty forehead deposit that grows with maturity. Colony fish: FishStores warns "a single Frontosa in a tank is a stressed Frontosa." Slow growers, taking 3-5 years to reach adult coloration and full hump development.

Breeding

Maternal mouthbrooder. The female holds 20-50 large eggs (and later fry) in her mouth for 4-5 weeks without eating. Fry are large when released and can take baby brine shrimp immediately. Breeding occurs in groups where a dominant male courts multiple females. The slow growth rate means fish may not breed until 3-5 years of age. Fry grow slowly too; plan for years, not months. A breeding colony of one male and 4-6 females in a 600 L+ tank is the standard setup. Avoid mixing geographic variants to preserve the distinct locality forms.

Common problems

Growth and patience. Frontosa reach 30–35 cm (males can hit 40 cm) and need tanks of 500 L+, but they grow so slowly (5-7 years to approach full size) that owners are lulled into thinking a smaller tank will work long-term. They can live 20-25 years, so this is a decades-long commitment. Water chemistry must match Lake Tanganyika: hard and alkaline (pH 7.8-9.0, GH 10-25). Aggression is subtle; a dominant male can slowly harass subordinates to death without dramatic fights. Provide plenty of rock structures with caves sized for the fish. Their long, trailing fins make them targets for fin-nipping tankmates. Bloat (Malawi/Tanganyikan bloat) from internal protozoan infection is the most serious health threat; maintain excellent water quality and feed a varied diet.

Bioload

Further reading

• How to cycle a fish tank
• Stocking ideas by tank size