Sargochromis carlottae (Boulenger, 1905)
Rainbow happy

Family:  Cichlidae (Cichlids), subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae
Max. size:  34.5 cm SL (male/unsexed); max.weight: 1,000.0 g; max. reported age: 6 years
Environment:  demersal; freshwater
Distribution:  Africa: Okavango River, upper Zambezi River, Lake Kariba and the Kafue River (Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe).
Diagnosis:  Description: very deep-bodied; frontal profile slightly concave; caudal fin rounded (Ref. 52307). Coloration: body yellowish-brown to bronze, ventral parts paler; lips greenish; fins olive; in adult males, head, cheeks and opercles greenish-blue, front of head and dorsal areas olive, sometimes with a flush of salmon; throat, breast and pelvic fins dusky; dorsal, caudal and anal fins of males with many yellow to orange dots; females generally similar in coloration but much paler (Ref. 52307).
Biology:  Favors deep permanent floodplain channel and lagoons, with sandy bottom and vegetation (Ref. 7248, 52307). Feeds on aquatic insects, crustaceans and snails (Ref. 7248). Ovophilic, agamous (Ref. 52307) female mouthbrooder (Ref. 7248, 52307). Males construct a nest where the eggs are initially laid; mature at 10-12 cm length; useful snail control agent (Ref. 7248).
IUCN Red List Status: Least Concern (LC); Date assessed: 01 March 2007 Ref. (130435)
Threat to humans:  harmless


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