Edit Tilapia guinasana

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Name

Scientific name

Tilapia guinasana

Described by

Not recorded

Family

Cichlidae

Common names

Not recorded

Photograph credits

All 1 credited

Summary

Tilapia guinasana is a cichlid endemic to Lake Guinas, a deep sinkhole lake in Namibia, and is considered critically endangered. Groundwate…

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

140mm, standard length

Aquarium size

Minimum length 120 cm, Minimum depth 30 cm, Minimum height 30 cm

Water

Water conditions

Temperature 19–25°C, pH 7–7.8

Hardness

10–15dGH

Conductivity

Not recorded

Behaviour

Temperament

Not recorded

Community suitability

Not recorded

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Namibia

Writing

Etymology

Not written yet

Distribution

Namibia. Endemic to Lake Guinas, but has also been introduced into Lake Otjikoto and some reservoirs in Namibia for conservation purposes. It has also been rec…

Habitat

Lake Guinas (and also Lake Otjikoto) is a sink hole lake containing very clear water. The fish are found around the rocky walls of the lake, where they defend …

Aquarium size

120 ∗ 30 ∗ 30 cm - ~108 litres.

Maintenance

The fish will exhibit the most natural behaviour if maintained in a biotope setup. This should contain piles of rockwork built up around the back and sides of …

Water conditions

Temperature: 19 – 25 °C. pH: 7.0-7.8 Hardness: 10-15°H

Diet

In nature, it mainly feeds on algae and organisms found within it by grazing the rocky walls of the lake. A low protein diet is therefore essential in keeping …

Behaviour and compatibility

Can be kept with larger African tetras such as Congo tetras but does best in a species tank to allow the best possible chances of a successful spawn. The fish …

Sexual dimorphism

Difficult to sex. The only reliable method is to examine the genital papillae of the fish but this is for experts only. The papilla is pointed in the male and …

Reproduction

Possible. Bi-parental substrate spawner. In nature, the fish will often choose a ledge on the rocky walls of Lake Guinas on which to spawn. In the aquarium, a …

Possible. Bi-parental substrate spawner. In nature, the fish will often choose a ledge on the rocky walls of Lake Guinas on which to spawn. In the aquarium, a flat rock or even an open area of substrate will suffice. The aquarium should be set up as described above, with the provision of the aforementioned features to act as potential spawning sites. The water should have a temperature of 22 – 25 °C72 – 77 °F and a pH to the slightly alkaline side of neutral. As the fish are difficult to sex, try and obtain a group of 6-8 fish and allow things to develop naturally. Condition the fish on a high quality diet containing a high percentage of vegetable matter.

The fish will either spawn on a flat rock surface or in a shallow pit, excavated from the substrate. Up to 200 eggs may be laid and these are protected by both parents, with the female generally staying close to the brood and the male defending the territory. The pair may move the eggs to other pits they have dug or into crevices between rocks several times before the fry become free swimming. This usually occurs in 10-14 days, and both parents proceed to shepherd the brood around the aquarium, defending them against all-comers. Brood care is quite extended and the fry can be left with the parents for several weeks post-spawning. The fry will accept brine shrimp nauplii but should also be offered greenstuffs.

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Where does this come from?

My own experienceFor example, I've kept twelve in a planted 60 cm tank since March 2024.A website I sawFor example, an IUCN Red List assessment, a museum catalogue or a FishBase page.A paperFor example, Marshall et al. (2011), Water temperature differences in interfluvial palm swamp habitats of Paracheirodon axelrodi and P. simulans.A book, or something not onlineFor example, Tappin (2010), Rainbowfishes: their care and keeping in captivity.Something already on the pageFor example, the Behaviour and compatibility section already says this.

Web address

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DOI

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Title

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Authors

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Year

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Pages

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Anything worth adding

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Notes

Rare in the hobby, this species is unfortunately considered critically endangered in the wild. The lake in which it is found is receiving less groundwater than…

References

No references

Name

Scientific name

Described by

Family

Common names

Photograph credits

Summary

Size and aquarium

Maximum size

Aquarium size

Water

Water conditions

Hardness

Conductivity

Behaviour

Temperament

Social needs

Community suitability

Where it lives

Countries, regions, rivers and lakes

Writing

Etymology

Distribution

Habitat

Aquarium size

Maintenance

Water conditions

Diet

Behaviour and compatibility

Sexual dimorphism

Reproduction

Notes

References

References