Frontosa

• ExerciseLow

  A calm, unhurried swimmer — peaceful surroundings suit them best.

• GroomingAttentive tank care

  Sensitive to water quality — stay on top of testing and maintenance.

• Living spaceMid-size tank

  Needs a mid-size aquarium with room to swim.

• Owner experienceSome experience helps

  A little know-how makes life smoother.

• Commitment15–25 years

  Plan for a long, loving relationship.

Health to watch: Bloat (GDV) · Ich (white spot) · Fin rot

The Frontosa (Cyphotilapia frontosa) comes from deep water in the northern half of Lake Tanganyika and reaches about 30 to 35 cm, with the southern species C. gibberosa often sold under the same name. It is a slow-growing, extremely long-lived fish: twenty years or more is normal, and a male may need four to five years to develop the nuchal hump people buy it for. In the wild it hunts sleeping fish at night in deep water. A colony of one male and five or more females needs 700 litres or more at 24-27C, pH 8.0 to 9.0 in hard, well-buffered water, with large rock structures and open sand. Feed a high-quality pellet, frozen krill, mysis and whole silversides, avoiding feeder fish, which carry disease and add nothing. Temperament is calm and even ponderous towards similarly sized fish, and the species is one of the few large cichlids that can be described as gentle. The two real constraints are the tank volume and the timeline: a frontosa is a fifteen to twenty-five year commitment, and it should be bought as one.

• How active is a Frontosa?

  Low. A calm, unhurried swimmer — peaceful surroundings suit them best.

• How much maintenance does a Frontosa need?

  Attentive tank care. Sensitive to water quality — stay on top of testing and maintenance.

• What tank size does a Frontosa need?

  Mid-size tank. Needs a mid-size aquarium with room to swim.

• Is a Frontosa a good fit for first-time owners?

  Some experience helps. A little know-how makes life smoother.

• How long do Frontosa live?

  15–25 years. Plan for a long, loving relationship.

• What health issues affect the Frontosa?

  Keep an eye out for Bloat (GDV), Ich (white spot), Fin rot. These are worth raising with your vet, along with any screening they recommend.

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