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Blue zaire frontosa

Cyphotilapia gibberosa

Also known as Gibberosa, Zaire blue frontosa, Moba frontosa

FreshwaterFish

Blue zaire frontosa (Cyphotilapia gibberosa)
George Berninger · CC BY-SA 4.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
7.8–9.0
Adult size
13.8 in
35 cm
Minimum tank
227 gal
860 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Hard
Rarity
Common
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Deep rocky slopes of the southern half of Lake Tanganyika in East Africa.

Overview

The blue zaire frontosa is a large, mostly peaceful cichlid for a very big, tall tank with rockwork. It is a fish for a keeper with some experience.

Did you know

The deep blue Zaire forms of this frontosa, from places like Moba, are among the most prized and expensive of all Tanganyikan cichlids.

Caring for the blue zaire frontosa

The blue zaire frontosa needs a tall tank of at least 227 gal (860 L), and more for a group. Build big rock structures for it.

Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 7.8 to 9.0. Feed meaty foods such as frozen shrimp and mysis, plus quality pellets. Avoid overfeeding, since it grows and matures slowly.

It is calm and even shy despite its size, but it will eat any tank mate small enough to swallow. Keep a group of one male with several females. It is a maternal mouthbrooder, and breeding it is hard.

Good to know

Cyphotilapia gibberosa was split from the northern frontosa in 2003, based on differences in form and its home in the southern lake. Its color forms, such as the Zaire Blue Moba, come from specific stretches of shoreline. It is a big, slow-moving fish with tall black bars on a blue-white body, and adults grow a bulging forehead. It can live for many years.

In the wild

The blue zaire frontosa is a deep-water fish from the southern half of Lake Tanganyika, living on rocky slopes well below the surface. At night it hunts smaller fish that shelter in the rocks.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The blue zaire frontosa is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a blue zaire frontosa need?

A blue zaire frontosa needs at least 227 gal (860 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a blue zaire frontosa need?

A blue zaire frontosa is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 7.8–9.0.

What does a blue zaire frontosa eat?

A blue zaire frontosa eats meaty foods such as frozen shrimp and mysis, plus quality pellets. Avoid overfeeding, since it grows slowly.

How big does a blue zaire frontosa get?

An adult blue zaire frontosa reaches about 13.8 in (35 cm).

How does a blue zaire frontosa breed?

The blue zaire frontosa is a maternal mouthbrooder. It grows and matures slowly, and breeding it is hard.

Related species