Diagnostic Description
provided by Fishbase
Description: very deep-bodied; frontal profile slightly concave; caudal fin rounded (Ref. 52307).Coloration: body yellowish-brown to bronze, ventral parts paler; lips greenish; fins olive; in adult males, head, cheeks and opercles greenish-blue, front of head and dorsal areas olive, sometimes with a flush of salmon; throat, breast and pelvic fins dusky; dorsal, caudal and anal fins of males with many yellow to orange dots; females generally similar in coloration but much paler (Ref. 52307).
Life Cycle
provided by Fishbase
A mouth brooder, excavating a small sandscrape nest.
Trophic Strategy
provided by Fishbase
Frequency of occurence in Caprivi: occasionally in sandy streams, frequently in standing deep water, occasionally in shallow swamps (Ref. 037065). Feeds on fish and insects (Ref. 28669).
Biology
provided by Fishbase
Favors deep permanent floodplain channel and lagoons, with sandy bottom and vegetation (Ref. 7248, 52307). Feeds on aquatic insects, crustaceans and snails (Ref. 7248). Ovophilic, agamous (Ref. 52307) female mouthbrooder (Ref. 7248, 52307). Males construct a nest where the eggs are initially laid; mature at 10-12 cm length; useful snail control agent (Ref. 7248).
Importance
provided by Fishbase
fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes
