Home / Fishes / Cichlids / Cichlidae / Cyphotilapia gibberosa
No federal permit to keepCyphotilapia gibberosa
Cyphotilapia gibberosa
Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)
Cyphotilapia gibberosa is a species of fish in the cichlid family, one of two species in the genus Cyphotilapia.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 42 in long and 18 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 8.3 in / 21.01 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Availability: Rarely or never seen in the aquarium trade; expect to source it from specialists or not at all.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 94 × 24 in (roughly 228 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
- Water: hard, alkaline water, 73–81 °F, pH 8–9, 10–25 dGH.
- Behaviour: a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Difficult (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “A well-structured aquarium comprising some sheltered areas with plenty of open space is considered ideal.”
- Diet: “This species is a generalised predator feeding on smaller fishes, macro -invertebrates, and molluscs, plus some algae and organic detritus which is presumably ingested when the fish are browsing the substrate or the surface of rocks.”
- Tankmates: “This species may eat much smaller fishes but can form part of a well-chosen Tanganyikan community provided the aquarium is of a sufficient size.”
- Breeding: “A maternal, ovophilous mouthbrooder that is commonly bred in aquaria.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Lake Tanganyika cichlids
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Rocky reefs, shell beds and sand of Lake Tanganyika. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Use species-specific alkaline-water parameters and stable, well-oxygenated conditions. For N. multifasciatus, Seriously Fish gives pH 7.5–9.0 and general hardness 8–25 dGH.
- Shell-dwellers need beds of empty snail shells; rock-dwellers like Julidochromis need stacked rockwork; Tropheus need large groups and spacious tanks.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 76–81°F |
Diet
- Tropheus moorii needs a vegetable-based staple with small suitable live/frozen supplements. Other Tanganyikans need their own feeding plan; shell-dweller and predator diets differ.
Social life
- Often pair- or colony-forming and territorial; research each genus.
Health watch
- Tropheus are prone to bloat on rich foods; sudden water changes stress Tanganyikans.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
Native to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa, it was described in 2003 nearly 100 years after its congener, C. frontosa. This species is a maternal mouth brooder.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Cyphotilapia gibberosa” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. Type specimen was caught at a depth of 34 m. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, depth 34–34 m. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Overview | Cyphotilapia gibberosa is a species of fish in the cichlid family, one of two species in the genus Cyphotilapia. Native to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa, it was described in 2003 nearly 100 years after its congener, C. frontosa. This species is a maternal mouth brooder. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Biology | Type specimen was caught at a depth of 34 m. Cyphotilapia species are known to occur in big schools in the 30 to 40 meter layer or even deeper. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 94 × 24 in (about 228 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Seriously Fish — Neolamprologus multifasciatus Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Seriously Fish — Tropheus moorii Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.
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