Deepwater coptodon
Coptodon bythobates
Also known as Tilapia bythobates, Bermin deepwater tilapia
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–81°F
- 23–27°C
- pH
- 6.0–7.5
- Adult size
- 5.9 in
- 15 cm
- Minimum tank
- 66 gal
- 250 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Solitary
- Tankmates
- With caution
- Swim level
- Middle
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Substrate spawner · Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Lake Bermin, Cameroon
Overview
The deepwater coptodon is a small crater-lake tilapia that swims through the middle and lower levels of the tank. It is a rare fish, seldom seen outside specialist collections, and best with a little experience.
Did you know
Lake Bermin is barely a kilometer across, yet this one crater lake has produced around nine tilapia species found nowhere else. Each carved out its own niche, and the deepwater coptodon took the deep water.
Caring for the deepwater coptodon
Keep a single deepwater coptodon or a pair in at least 66 gal (250 L). It is not demanding about decor. A sand floor, some rock and wood for structure, and enough depth of tank to let it feel secure matter most.
Keep the water clean, stable and soft to neutral, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. It takes a mixed omnivore's diet, so feed pellets and frozen foods with some vegetable matter.
It is fairly peaceful for a tilapia, but it holds a territory when spawning. Choose tank mates with care and give a pair room. It is a substrate spawner with a pair bond, and both parents guard the eggs and fry on an open surface. It is rarely bred in captivity, and breeding is hard.
Good to know
The deepwater coptodon, Coptodon bythobates, is a small tilapia in the family Cichlidae. Its species name means depth-walker, for its habit of living below the reach of most of its relatives.
In the wild
The deepwater coptodon lives only in Lake Bermin, a small volcanic crater lake in Cameroon. There it keeps to deeper water below about eight meters, where the water is warm.
Common questions
What size tank does a deepwater coptodon need?
A deepwater coptodon needs at least 66 gal (250 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a deepwater coptodon need?
A deepwater coptodon is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.
What does a deepwater coptodon eat?
A deepwater coptodon takes a mixed omnivore's diet. Feed it pellets and frozen foods with some vegetable matter.
How big does a deepwater coptodon get?
An adult deepwater coptodon reaches about 5.9 in (15 cm).
How does a deepwater coptodon breed?
The deepwater coptodon is a substrate spawner with a pair bond. Both parents guard the eggs and fry on an open surface, and it is rarely bred in captivity.
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