Featherfin
Ophthalmotilapia ventralis
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A cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika that stays near rocky shores, feeding on plankton in open water. The male, larger and more colourful, has very long ventral fins; in the wild, only dominant males build sand nests. The female mouthbroods the eggs. There are over 20 colour forms. It reaches 15 centimetres.
- Scientific name
- Ophthalmotilapia ventralis
- Family
- Cichlidae
Fact sheet
General
- Water
- Freshwater
- Group
- Fish
Taxonomy
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Order
- Cichliformes
- Synonyms
- Ophthalmochromis ventralis, Ophthalmochromis ventralis ventralis, Ophthalmotilapia ventralis ventralis, Paratilapia ventralis
Origin
- Native region
- África
Water
- Temperature
- 23–27 °C
- pH
- 7.5–9
- General hardness (GH)
- 8–25 °dGH
Size and lifespan
- Adult size
- 15 cm
- Minimum tank (volume)
- 231 L
- Minimum tank (length)
- 135 cm
Behavior
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Social life
- Pair
- Swimming level
- Middle
- Diet
- Herbivore
Care
- Care difficulty
- Moderate
Reproduction
- Breeding strategy
- Mouthbrooder
Conservation and trade
- IUCN status
- Least concern (LC)
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