Utaka

Utaka ( " ooh- TAW- kuh " ) is the generic term for about 30 cichlids of the East African Lake Malawi. The name is derived, as well as the Mbuna, by the local fishermen. All Utaka species belonging to the two genera Copadichromis and Mchenga.

Way of life

Utaka species are not bound like the Mbuna to rock habitats, but live in sometimes very large, several thousand individuals and also different kinds extensive shoals in the open water, but close to the rocky shore or sandy soils. They feed on small planktonic crustaceans that they fixing vorstreckbaren against the current and floating with her big eyes with their long, tubular mouth snapped. Like almost all cichlids of Lake Malawi are mouth brooders Utaka. Although they live in the open water, observed in Copadichromis chrysonotus which form the males in the open water areas. This observation might also apply to other Utaka species.

Source

  • Malawicichlids.com What Is to " Utaka "?
  • Haplochromine cichlids
  • Haplochromini
Copadichromis azureus
602336
de