Iodotropheus sprengerae

Iodotropheus sprengerae

Iodotropheus sprengerae is a cichlid that is found in Felslitoral of the East African Lake Malawi. The species was named after Kappy Sprenger, a California Aquarianerin that made the authors of the first description attention to the autonomy of the kind.

Features

Iodotropheus sprengerae is a maximum of about 10.8 cm long, the female is smaller. The body is slightly more compact than most other mbuna and laterally strongly flattened. The head profile is steep, the mouth terminal, with the lower jaw slightly projecting. The ground color is brownish- reddish brown to purple. The flanks are bluish- violet, head and back more red or rust- brown, the belly greyish - white to light brown. The dorsal fin is orange to reddish brown, front lined dark, the anal fin is purple, orange lined and has one to five egg stains that are not outlined in dark. The tail fin may be orange to rusty brown and bluish shimmer.

• Fins formula: Dorsal XVII-XVIII/8-9, Anal III/7-8.
• Dandruff formula: MLR 31, an SL 21 / 10th

On the first Ceratobranchiale are 7 to 9 gill rakers on the first Epibranchiale 1-3 gill rakers.

Way of life

Iodotropheus sprengerae lives only in the Felslitoral Mazinzi Bay, the southeastern part of Lake Malawi. The species was observed previously in the Boadzulu Iceland, the Makokola Reef and Islands Chinyankwazi, and the Islands Chinyamwezi. Although he is one of the Mbuna it feeds not only from building up, but is an opportunistic omnivore and in contrast to other Mbuna than local -forming and little aggressive. Like almost all Malawiseebuntbarsche is Iodotropheus sprengerae a mouth brooders.