Humphead Frontosa Cyphotilapia frontosa and C. gibberosa

The Humphead Frontosa is a cichlid fish native to the deepwater of northern Lake Tanganyika in East Africa, the second largest (by volume) freshwater body in the world (after Lake Baikal).

Adults typically have 6 black bars on a white body (some from the eastern side have 7 bars). Males have a pronounced forehead hump and reach a length of 25-30cm (10-11 inches).

Colours and patterns vary slightly from different regions. The Blue Kitumba Moba (Blue Zaire) above right and right top with blue body and flowing blue fins is native to the Kitumba region of the lake in D. R. Congo and was split from C. frontosa to C. gibberosa in 2003. Previously frontosa had been the only species in the genus.

They are a shoaling species. Females also have a hump on the forehead, but much smaller than that of the males. Females incubate their eggs in their mouths.

Above left shows the Humphead Frontosa, male and female, with the golden 6-bar Cichlid, which grows to about half the Humphead's size and is native to southern Lake Tanganyika. Also shown, above centre, is a male Humphead with a 6-bar and a 5-bar Cichlid, which also grows to only half the Humphead's size and is native to Zambia's portion of the lake (with the 5-bar and 6-bar, the small bar over the head between the eyes is not counted).