Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Freshwater; demersal. Tropical; 24°C - 26°C (Ref. 2060); 13°S - 15°S
Africa: Endemic to Lake Malawi. Occurs in Monkey Bay, Mvunguti, Domwe Island and Otter Point in Lake Malawi.
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 9.8 cm SL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5684)
Found in both sediment-rich and sediment-free habitats. Prefers calm waters of sheltered bays. Feeds from the rocks and tears algae from the substrate. Invertebrates have also been recorded from the stomachs (Ref. 5595).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Females are mouthbrooders.
Konings, A., 2007. Malawi cichlids in their natural habitat. 4th edition. Cichlid Press, El Paso, USA. 424p. (Ref. 79521)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 130435: Version 2024-1)
Threat to humans
Harmless
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial; aquarium: commercial
Tools
Special reports
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Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref.
82804): PD
50 = 0.5005 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01445 (0.00674 - 0.03099), b=2.99 (2.82 - 3.16), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref.
93245).
Trophic level (Ref.
69278): 2.8 ±0.25 se; based on food items.
Resilience (Ref.
120179): High, minimum population doubling time less than 15 months (Preliminary K or Fecundity.).
Fishing Vulnerability (Ref.
59153): Low vulnerability (10 of 100).