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Xenotilapia melanogenys

Current scientific name per the Catalog of Fishes: Enantiopus melanogenys

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Xenotilapia melanogenys is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Tanganyika.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 6.3 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 5.9 in / 15 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
pH: 7.5–8.5.
Hardness: 0–20 dGH.
Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.

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 47 × 15 in (roughly 36 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
Water: hard, alkaline water, 75–81 °F, pH 7.5–9, 10–25 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament peaceful.
Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “The aquarium should contain piles of rocks arranged to form caves with large areas of open water between them.”
Tankmates: “A peaceful and skittish species that should not be housed with boisterous fish such as Mbuna.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

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.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Climate & lighting

Water

76–81°F

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

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.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Social life

Often pair- or colony-forming and territorial; research each genus.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Health watch

Tropheus are prone to bloat on rich foods; sudden water changes stress Tanganyikans.

Sources 117 119 164 118 256 273

Understanding the animal

About this animal

This species can reach a length of 15 centimetres (5.9 in) TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Xenotilapia melanogenys” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

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. Stays near the bottom. Common, sand-dwelling cichlid which forages in large schools over the sandy substrate; maximum depth is 40 metres, but during breeding period they are found in much shallower water.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, pH 7.5–8.5, hardness 20 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: external brooders, maternal parental care.

What this means for care

Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.

FishBase species summary: Xenotilapia melanogenys

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 87°F (up to 90°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 60°F (down to 53°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	69–79°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	55–72% on average (driest month about 54%)
Rainfall	about 1008 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons

Measured at 24 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

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.

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
Reproduction	Breeds in colonies (lek breeder); polygamous maternal mouthbrooder. — FishBase
Biology	Common, sand-dwelling cichlid which forages in large schools over the sandy substrate; maximum depth is 40 metres, but during breeding period they are found in much shallower water. Very abundant; copepods, ostracods and shrimps have been found in the stomach. Breeds in colonies (lek breeder); polygamous maternal mouthbrooder. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources6.1in

FishBase 1645.9

Seriously Fish species profiles 1676.3

Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

pH

Average of sources7.5–8.8

FishBase 1647.5–8.5

Seriously Fish species profiles 1677.5–9

Water temperature

Reported75–81°F

Seriously Fish species profiles 16775–81

Range the species tolerates; aim for the middle.

Water hardness

Reported10–25dGH

Seriously Fish species profiles 16710–25

Minimum tank footprint

Reported47in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16747

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 15 in (about 36 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.