Fuscotaeniatus

Diagnosis: body relatively elongate with irregular, blotchy horizontal melanin pattern; no spots on pectoral fins; jaws large, with length of lower jaw 43.4-50.6% head length (Ref. 55922).Description: outer and inner teeth stout and unicuspid; inner teeth slightly to strongly recurved; 3-4 series of scales on the cheek; lower pharyngeal bone normal, but relatively elongate for the genus; pharyngeal teeth sharp and widely set, stout but not enlarged; gill-rakers stout and short, the largest flattened distally and claviform or bifid; 21-27 scales in upper part of lateral line, 13-16 in lower part; 5-6 scales between pectoral and pelvic fins (Ref. 55922).Coloration: Live: melanin pattern as in preserved specimens (Ref. 55922). Adult territorial males: body blue; anterior part of individual scales on body orange; fins blue-grey; dorsal fin with orange lappets and white submarginal band; pattern of orange-brown maculae and striae in dorsal and caudal fins more developed than in congenerics; distal part of anal fin orange-brown with large white ocelli; pelvic fin with white leading edge (Ref. 55922). Females: background color white or yellow with dark blotches; fins grey; dorsal fin lappets orange-brown; dorsal and caudal fins with brown maculae and striae (Ref. 55922). Color pattern of immature and non-territorial males intermediate between female and adult male pattern, with an increasing intensity of blue with increasing territoriality (Ref. 55922). Preserved: 4 longitudinal series of blotches: 2 dorsal series, 1 mid-lateral series and 1 ventral series; blotches more or less elongated, sometimes forming almost continuous horizontal bands, with some fusions between mid-lateral and dorsal series; base of dorsal fin along dorsum with a series of spots; general color of body and fins yellow to brown; dorsal and caudal fins with maculae; dorsal fin lappets, trailing edge of pelvic fin and ventral margin of anal fin whitish; dark stripe on the lachrymal mostly present (Ref. 55922).

White spot Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Hole-in-the-Head Disease. Parasitic infestations (protozoa, worms, etc.)

Bacterial Infections (general). Bacterial diseases

Dorsal spines (total): 15 - 16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 11 - 12; Analspines: 3; Analsoft rays: 10 - 11

Widespread but uncommon (Ref. 55922). Usually solitary in shallow, vegetated areas and in the intermediate sand-rock habitat (Ref. 5595, 55922). Feeds on small fishes (Ref. 5595).

aquarium: commercial

Nimbochromis fuscotaeniatus (spothead hap, fuscotaeniatus hap) is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi and Lake Malombe. Males of this species can reach a length of 25 centimetres (9.8 in) TL while the females grow to 20 centimetres (7.9 in) TL. It can also be found in the aquarium trade. It is an ambush predator and feeds on smaller cichlids. Females are smaller than males and a brownish color, while males are larger and blue in color. The species is a mouthbrooder that spawns readily in the aquarium.