{"product_id":"ophthalmotilapia-cf-nasuta-mukosa","title":"Ophthalmotilapia cf. nasuta (Mukosa)","description":"\u003ctable class=\"tg-spec\"\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"k\"\u003eTribe \/ Genus:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"v\"\u003eEctodini \/ Ophthalmotilapia\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"k\"\u003eType locality:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"v\"\u003eKalungwe, Lake Tanganyika, Democratic Republic of Congo\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"k\"\u003eBiotope:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"v\"\u003eInhabits the intermediate habitat of Lake Tanganyika, where sandy areas meet rocks.\u003cbr\u003eThe species is most commonly encountered at depths of about 3–10 m.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"k\"\u003eGeographic distribution:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"v\"\u003eEndemic to Lake Tanganyika and recorded around almost the entire lake.\u003cbr\u003eIt is absent from the stretch between Kigoma and Nyanza-Lac, where it is replaced by\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eOphthalmotilapia\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003esp. ‘Paranasuta’.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eO. nasuta\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eand\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eO.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003esp. ‘Paranasuta’ have not been found together in the natural habitat.\u003cbr\u003eA lake-wide complex of geographically separated variants is reported, including a dark form from the far north (e.g., Uvira), the so-called “Tiger Nasuta” between Kalemie and Chimba, yellow forms (e.g., Kipili), bronze forms with blue fins (e.g., Mahili), and banded variants from Burundi.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"k\"\u003eTypical adult size:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"v\"\u003eMales reach approximately 20 cm, with females a few centimeters smaller.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"k\"\u003eSexual dimorphism:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"v\"\u003eOnly males develop strong coloration, while females remain comparatively plain.\u003cbr\u003eMales also have noticeably longer fins than females, especially the pelvic fins.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"k\"\u003eRecommended aquarium size:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"v\"\u003e500 L, or at least 150 cm tank length.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"k\"\u003eAquarium setup:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"v\"\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eOphthalmotilapia nasuta\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ediffers from other\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eOphthalmotilapia\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eby inhabiting the intermediate habitat rather than strictly rocky littoral zones.\u003cbr\u003eIt is described as less aggressive than other species of the genus, but due to its larger size it still requires a large aquarium.\u003cbr\u003eProvide fine sand, as males construct a volcano-shaped spawning mound; compared to other\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eOphthalmotilapia\u003c\/em\u003e, the nest is larger, reported at about 25–30 cm in diameter and around 10 cm in height.\u003cbr\u003eIn addition to a large open sandy area, include some rockwork and ideally at least one large flat rock, as males often choose such surfaces as the basis for nesting and spawning.\u003cbr\u003eIt is best kept in groups with more females than males.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"k\"\u003eDiet:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"v\"\u003eOmnivorous, feeding on items available in the water column.\u003cbr\u003eReported diet consists mainly of plankton and small crustaceans, as well as various microorganisms.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"k\"\u003eBreeding:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"v\"\u003eMaternal mouthbrooder, breeding in a manner comparable to other\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eOphthalmotilapia\u003c\/em\u003e.\u003cbr\u003eMales gather in breeding colonies and build large sand bowers, typically on top of rocks, spaced a few meters apart; colonies may include more than 20 males.\u003cbr\u003eSpawning occurs within the bower. The female is attracted by the yellow lappets at the ends of the pelvic fins rather than anal-fin ocelli, and after spawning she mouthbroods alone.\u003cbr\u003eClutch size is commonly around 20 eggs, and incubation is reported at approximately three weeks; after release, fry may form large schools in the upper water layer together with other juvenile cichlids.\u003cbr\u003eAfter spawning, removal of the female is sometimes recommended due to male aggression.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"k\"\u003eAggression:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"v\"\u003eDescribed as less aggressive than other species of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eOphthalmotilapia\u003c\/em\u003e, though males still defend nesting territories.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"k\"\u003eSpecial notes:\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd class=\"v\"\u003e\n\u003cem\u003eOphthalmotilapia nasuta\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eis a “featherfin” cichlid, named for the extremely elongated pelvic fins, and is readily recognized by its very prominent nose, which gave the species its name.\u003cbr\u003eThe species was originally described as\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eOphthalmochromis nasutus\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eby Poll \u0026amp; Matthes (1962) following Poll’s earlier definition of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eOphthalmochromis\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e(1956), and later transferred to\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eOphthalmotilapia\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eafter the synonymization of the genera (Liem, 1981). The description was based on specimens from Kalungwe near Uvira in the far north of DR Congo, with additional material reported from across the lake.\u003cbr\u003eField and aquarium literature note substantial geographic variation across the lake-wide complex. A recurring distinction is that many southern and south-eastern populations are markedly deeper-bodied than the more elongated, shallow-bodied northern type associated with the type locality.\u003cbr\u003eA group of yellow to golden, deep-bodied south-eastern populations has been referred to in the hobby as “Golden Nasuta” or\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eO.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003esp. ‘Nasuta Golden’; on tanganyika.si these forms are treated together within\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eO. nasuta\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003eas part of a broader lake-wide complex of closely related, allopatrically distributed forms.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cem\u003eOphthalmotilapia\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003esp. ‘paranasuta’ has a less pronounced nose and replaces\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eO. nasuta\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003ebetween Kigoma and Nyanza-Lac; it has been emphasized that the two have not been found together in the wild, and that females of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eO. nasuta\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003emay show dark vertical flank bars that are reported to be absent in females of\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cem\u003eO.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003cspan\u003e \u003c\/span\u003esp. ‘Paranasuta’.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e","brand":"DANAQUA","offers":[{"title":"4” BREEDING PAIR","offer_id":42807171481694,"sku":null,"price":100.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"4” Males","offer_id":42845014196318,"sku":null,"price":59.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0626\/4802\/5182\/files\/Ophthalmotilapianasuta_Mukosa_isabi.de.jpg?v=1779656137","url":"https:\/\/danaqualivefish.com\/products\/ophthalmotilapia-cf-nasuta-mukosa","provider":"Danaqua Live Fish \u0026 More","version":"1.0","type":"link"}