Astatotilapia latifasciata (Regan, 1929)
Suggested pronunciation: ass-tat-oh-till-are-PEA-uh lat-uh-fass-ee-ART-uh

Rating Availability Hardiness Overall appeal

Species description

• Physical description....
• Astatotilapia latifasciata is an elongated fish with a large golden eye and slightly fleshy lips.
• This fish has a metallic blue-green face and the top half of the body is white. The lower half of the body is bright yellow.
• The body is marked with five broad vertical black bands.
• The first band runs through the eye.
• The bands extend into the dorsal fin.
• On males, the belly is a brilliant orange-red.
• This fish is a beautiful "hap" and unmistakable in appearance.
• The striking red-orange colouration on the ventral flanks against black bars of adult males make this species a desirable aquarium specimen.
• Taxonomy....
  • The genus Haplochromis was generically given to all the brightly coloured fish found in and around Lake Victoria.
    • In the 1980's and 90's, when the lake was really being examined for fish fauna in depth for the first time, hundreds of new fish species were discovered.
    • These small fish were given the name "mbipi" or "furu" by the native people living along the shore.
    • Most of these fish had never been seen by anyone outside this region. There was much work to do (and still is) classifying these fish.
    • It is possible that one of the first fish looked at in depth was Haplochromis obliquidens, so any fish from the lake destined for hobbyist tanks, with a colour pattern vaguely resembling H. obliquidens, was given this name.
    • Paul V. Loiselle wrote in Aquarium Fish Magazine that Haplochromis obliquidens was "a specialized algae grazer and had never been exported from Lake Victoria".
    • Since his reference to this fish was made in the early 90's, it appears that the true Haplochromis obliquidens has become extinct.
  • Systematic hierarchy:
    • Kingdom: Animalia
      • Phylum: Chordata: Sub-phylum: Vertebrates - Group: Fish
        • Class: Osteichthyes (Bony Fish): Sub-class: Actinopterygii (Ray-finned Fish)
          • Order: Perciformes (Perch-like Fish)
            • Family: Cichlidae: Subfamily: Pseudocrenilabrinae
        • Genus: Astatotilapia
          • Species: latifasciata
• Geographical variants....
• There are no geographical variants or colour forms of this species, although there is some natural variation in the striping pattern on the fish - this is normal and may include broken bars, uneven bars and an alternate "one up, one down" pattern.
• Females can be silver with black bars or may also have a gold sheen to their body.
• Images:
  • "One up, one down" band pattern (below left); "normal" band pattern (below right)

• Similar species....
  • They are a distinctive-looking species, unlike any of the African cichlids available in Queensland.

Habitat information

• Astatotilapia latifasciata is native to Lake Nawampasa and Lake Kyoga in central Uganda, north of Lake Victoria.
• These two lakes are connected by a swampy area in the rainy season, which is why Astatotilapia latifasciata is found in both locations.

About Lakes Kyoga & Nawampasa

• Lake Kyoga (kigh-oh-guh) is a large shallow lake of Uganda, about 1,720 sq km in area and at an elevation of 914 m. The Victoria Nile flows through the lake on its way from Lake Victoria to Lake Albert. It occupies part of the same depression as Lake Victoria, to which it was once joined.
  
• The depth of the lake does not exceed 5.7 metres and over most of the lake it is less than 4 metres deep. Large areas less than 3 metres deep are covered by a continuous growth of water lilies.The shoreline is fringed with papyrus and other swamp vegetation.
• The lake is divided into three environments: the open water deeper than 3 metres; the water less than 3 metres deep which is covered completely with a growth of water lilies; and the swamps chiefly papyrus, which fringe the shoreline.
• The majority of the 46 species recorded in Lake Kyoga are found in Lake Victoria. The lake lacks any large endemic predatory fish except a native species, which lead to an abundance of Haplochromis and other small defenceless species, but Nile perch was stocked in the late fifties.
• There are numerous floating papyrus islands in the lake. In stormy weather, they are blown about the lake. Crocodiles were abundant in the lake. The shallow lake has large areas of papyrus swamp.
• Lake Kyoga provides transportation for a large cotton-growing region.
  
  
• Lake Nawampasa is a small lake that houses remnants of the beautiful cichlid populations once found in Lake Kyoga.
• Lake Nawampasa is separated from Lake Kyoga by a small strip of swamp that is disappearing rapidly. Astatotilapia latifasciata is also found in this lake.
• So far, a populaton of Astatotilapia latifasciata (as of 1997) still survives in Lake Nawampasa, as do somewhere in the range of 23 other Haplochromines from the Lake Kyoga species flock.
• Lake Nawampasa has papyrus shorelines, intermediate zones with mixed sand and rock substrates and fringing swamps. It is a very shallow lake with quite a lot of aquatic vegetation.

Aquarium care
The following information relating to tank size, decoration and tank mates is indicative and intended to be used as a rough guide only. Other possible tank mates are listed under Compatibility and there aremany plants and decorationsthat can be used - just ask us.

• Tank ideas....
  • The minimum tank for a "small" colony of females(3 to 5) and one male should be around 190 litres.
  • A 90x38x38 centimetres (36x15x15 inches) could be used to keep house around 15 fish of similar size and temperament.
  • A 120 centimetre tank is probably the ideal size to keep a range of different fish for an African Lake community.
  • Controlled overcrowding can be used otherwise males may become hyperdominant and may kill other fish in the tank.
  • For breeding purposes however, only one species should be kept per tank. Lake Victoria cichlids often hybridise in captivity, and it is important to keep the existing species pure.
  • Example - Astatotilapia latifasciata species tank:
    • Tank capacity: 363 litres
    • Tank type: HR-1500
      • 150 centimetres (60 inches or 5 foot) tank
      • 3 x 40W fluorescent tubes.
    • Fish ideas:
      • 9 x Astatotilapia latifasciata
    • Building the tank:
      • Background - eg. external printed dark blue background.
      • Substrate - river sand, approximately 60kg.
      • Decoration - Sandstone; river rocks.
        
      • Plants - Red Tiger Lotus (Nymphaea maculata); Green Tiger Lotus (Nymphaea maculata); Dwarf Papyrus (Cyperus haspens). Plant the Papyrus in terracotta pots. Raise slightly to allow the stems to emerge from the water.
        
• Maintenance and Disease....
  • Astatotilapia latifasciata really doesn't present too many problems regarding aquarium care.
  • Neutral to moderately hard water is best and regular partial water changes are recommended.
  • The tank should be well filtered.
  • They are greedy and will often attempt to eat food that is too large. This has the potential to get stuck in the pharynx so be careful not to feed food that is too large.
  • Water parameters:
    • pH: slightly alkaline to alkaline (7.2 - 8.2)
    • Hardness: moderate (8 - 15dH)
    • Temperature: 23 - 28oC. Slightly higher temperatures can be tolerated for a short time.
      
• Compatibility....
  • Asatotilapia latifasciata can be agressive towards others of the same species at times, particularly towards other males.
  • For a Victorian species they are one of the least aggressive.
  • Their tolerance of heterospecifics is quite good. They are quite peaceful towards other species but can still stand up for themselves against larger fish.
  • It is extremely important that they are not kept with other Lake Victorian species where there is the possibility of cross-breeding to avoid hybridisation occurring.

  Ideas for suitable tankmates.... The fish listed below are indicative of the species that can be kept with this fish. Other fish may also be suitable - please ask us which other fish are compatible. ______________________________ Africa - Lake Victoria and surrounds Christmas Fulu (Xystichromis phytophages)* ______________________________ Africa - Lake Malawi Electric Yellow (Labidochromis caeruleus) Aulonocara jacobfreibergi Eureka Red Labidochromis hongi Protomelas annectens Chilotilapia rhoadesii Labeotropheus fuellborni Pseudotropheus saulosi Nimbochromis livingstoni ______________________________ Africa - Lake Tanganyika Neolamprologus leleupi Neolamprolous cylindricus Cuckoo Catfish (Synodontis multipunctatus) ______________________________ South America Glyptoperichthys multiradiatus (Pleco) *Note: If keeping more than one species of Victorian cichlid in a tank, keep all males to avoid the chance of hybridisation.

• Breeding....
  • Astatotilapia latifasciata are polygamous maternal mouthbrooders.
  • It is recommended that they be kept in a colony of 1 male to several females.
  • Raising a group of five or more fry is the best way to ensure obtaining both males and females if propagation is desired.
  • Males will begin to color at 2.5-4 centimetres.
  • Females generally obtain nearly the same size as adult males, but lack the brilliant coloration on the flanks, and eggspots are less conspicuous or absent.
  • Spawning is similar to other maternal mouthbrooders where a ripe female is attracted to a spawning site by male displays.
  • Eggs are deposited, then fertilised and brooded in the female's mouth. Adult males will aggressively defend spawning sites.
  • The number of eggs generally ranges from 20-60 depending on the size of the female.
  • Hatching occurs in approximately eight days at 27oC and fry are free swimming by day 20.
  • Fry will accept crushed flake and hatched artemia.
  • Fry also exhibit black vertical bars at approximately 12 mm, making them more colourful than fry of most Victorian Haplochromines.
  • They are also quite easy to sex at a young age, as the males begin to get the red colourin the belly fairly early (right).
  • Adult males may be aggressive towards females when not spawning.
    Special breeding notes....
  • Females will actually guard the fry for up to two months after release. That means they can be raised in the same tank with the parents.
  • Astatotilapia latifasciata are excellent holders, rarely spitting their eggs early.

    ---

• References....
  Web sites
  Fishbase
  Books
  Enjoying Cichlids (Cichlid Press, 1993)
  

WetPetz
ph: (07) 3823 1866