Physical description: The coloration of the Elephant-nose Cichlid is virtually identical to that of the Polystigma. The main difference between the two being that the Elephant-nose Cichlid possesses large lips, that when opened make the mouth look like a small trunk. This cichlid also has a slightly duller body coloration. Size/Length: To 14" (35 cm) Similar species: Polystigma (N. polystigma) Habitat: Eastern Africa; found in rocky areas along the coast of Lake Malawi. S: bottom, middle Aquarium: 40" (100 cm) or 45-55 gallons (170-209 L) is sufficient for young fish. Larger fish need a tank of at least 60" (152 cm) or 90-110 gallons (342-378 L). See N. polystigma for detail of tank set-up. Water chemistry: pH 7.5-8.8 (8.1), 10-25 dH (18), 73-79°F (23-26°C) Social behavior: A predator that will eat small fish. Males are aggressive and territorial towards females, although not overly aggressive towards other species. Keep one male with several females. Suggested companions: Lake Malawi Haplochromines, Synodontis, larger mbunas, Polypterus, Afromastacembelus FOOD: Live; small fish, worms, aquatic insects; chopped meat; tablets; pellets Sexual differences: The male is more brightly colored, has more distinct egg-spots, and has a more colorful dorsal edge. Breeding techniques: Follow recommendations for N. polystigma. Breeding potential: 7. Breeding is moderately difficult. Remarks: N. linni may be a color morph of N. polystigma and not a separate species. The two are known to be very closely related. Difficulty of care: 5. Like the Polystigma, care is fairly easy. Recent articles about fish Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees (2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health. Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees (10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine. Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater (12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina. |
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Copyright Rhett Butler 1994-2009 The copy for fish.mongabay.com was written in 1994-1995. Therefore some information such as scientific names may be out of date. For this, I apologize. Feel free to send corrections to me. |
