Frontosa
A slow, heavy, deep-water hunter that rises at night to take sleeping fish and spends the day hanging over rock in a loose group. It is among the calmest large cichlids in the hobby and among the longest-lived, and both facts are frequently used to sell it into tanks a third of the size it needs.
Quick profile
- Scientific name
- Cyphotilapia frontosa
- Adult size
- 30–35 cm (11.8–13.8 in)
- Lifespan
- 15–25 years
- Temperature
- 23–26 °C (73–79 °F)
- pH
- 8–9
- Hardness
- 12–22 °dGH
- Minimum tank
- 800 L (211 US gal)
- Minimum length
- 200 cm
- Swimming zone
- Midwater
- Social
- Harem — at least 5
- Diet
- Piscivore
- Overall confidence
- moderate confidence
What keeping this species involves
Undemanding in temperament and extremely demanding in space and time. A fish that reaches 35 cm, matures at four years and may live past twenty is a twenty-year decision made at seven centimetres.
Rocky drop-offs at thirty metres and deeper, in cool, still, very hard water with almost no light variation.
Identity and names
- Common name
- Frontosa
- Scientific name
- Cyphotilapia frontosa
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Order
- Cichliformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Also sold as
- Cyphotilapia frontosa, humphead cichlid, front, Burundi frontosa
Adult size and growth
30–35 cm (11.8–13.8 in)
Typical lifespan in an aquarium: 15–25 years. Almost every animal sold in a shop is a juvenile, so the tank has to suit the size in the first line rather than the size in the bag.
Shape, which is what the compatibility engine reads instead of length alone: deep-bodied with a moderate. Assigned from what is typical of Cichlidae, not examined for this species.
Water and tank requirements
A 35 cm fish kept in groups, that swims in slow horizontal passes and needs depth of water as well as length. This is a tank built for the species rather than a large community tank it can be added to.
Temperature (°C)
Scale: 0 to 36 °C.
pH (pH)
Scale: 4 to 9.5 pH.
Hardness (°dGH)
Scale: 0 to 30 °dGH.
Why these ranges: Deep Tanganyikan water is cool, extremely stable and very hard. The cool end of this band is the species' own habitat rather than a general Rift figure, and keeping it at Malawi temperatures shortens a life that would otherwise be measured in decades.
Where these figures come from
Habitat class
Lake Tanganyika — the deep rocky slopes of northern Lake Tanganyika
An ancient, enormous, strongly buffered rift lake with the most alkaline water any commonly kept aquarium fish comes from.
Not interchangeable with Malawi. Tanganyika is markedly more alkaline and more mineral-rich, and its temperature is markedly more stable, because the lake is deep enough to be its own thermostat.
- Conductivity
- 570–700 µS/cm
- Flow
- low
- Dissolved oxygen
- near saturation
- Seasonality
- weak
These are figures for the KIND of water body, not measurements of this species. They are AquariumHQ’s summary of the general limnology and are given wide because the water is.
- TemperatureReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
- pHReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
- General hardnessReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
| Requirement | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 23–26 °C (73–79 °F) | Stability matters more than hitting an exact figure. |
| pH | 8–9 | A stable pH outside the ideal band is usually better than an unstable one inside it. |
| General hardness | 12–22 °dGH | Check your supplier's published figure before choosing species. |
| Carbonate hardness | 14–20 °dKH | Buffering capacity — what stops the pH moving. |
| Minimum volume | 800 L (211 US gal) | A floor, not a recommendation. |
| Minimum footprint | 200 cm long × 60 cm deep | A 35 cm fish kept in groups, that swims in slow horizontal passes and needs depth of water as well as length. This is a tank built for the species rather than a large community tank it can be added to. |
| Water flow | low | Match the outflow to this rather than to the filter's rating. |
| Lid required | Recommended | Reduces evaporation and prevents accidents. |
| Structure | Tall rock piles against the back with open water in front and above. The fish uses the vertical dimension in a way almost nothing else in this catalogue does. |
Behaviour
- Moves in slow deliberate passes across the tank and reacts to disturbance by drifting away rather than bolting.
- Groups arrange themselves in a loose vertical column over the rock, which is the arrangement they hold on the lake's drop-offs.
Telling males from females
Males develop the large nuchal hump the fish is named for and grow noticeably larger. Females develop a smaller hump and the difference is not reliable until several years old.
Feeding
A nocturnal hunter of sleeping fish. In a tank it takes prepared food during the day without difficulty, and the slow metabolism means it is easily overfed.
- Diet type
- Piscivore
- Staples
- Whole frozen silversides, Frozen krill, Frozen mysis, Sinking cichlid pellets
- Avoid
- Live feeder fish, Mammalian meat
Breeding
- Strategy
- Maternal mouthbrooding, with females holding for four to five weeks
- Difficulty
- challenging
- Parental care
- mouthbrooding
Maturity takes three to four years. Nothing about this fish, including breeding it, happens quickly.
Tankmates and compatibility
Assessments are derived from stored traits by the compatibility engine, with the reasoning shown. A verdict is a statement about probability, not a guarantee — individual temperament can override it.
| Towards | Risk | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Small fish | near-certain | Anything that fits in the mouth is at risk once this species reaches adult size. |
| Adult dwarf shrimp | near-certain | Cover reduces losses but rarely prevents them where the risk is high. |
| Shrimplets | near-certain | Determines whether a shrimp colony can grow rather than merely persist. |
| Snails | moderate | Applies to snails you wanted as well as snails you did not. |
| Long or trailing fins | none | Fin damage is an entry point for secondary infection. |
| Plants | uproots | Tough species such as Anubias and Java fern survive most grazers. |
Assessed pairings
Any pair in the catalogue can be assessed with the compatibility checker.
Welfare considerations
Points where the way this species is commonly sold or kept differs from what it actually needs.
- Sold at five to seven centimetres at a price that reflects the juvenile rather than the commitment. Adults are among the fish most frequently offered for rehoming in the Rift hobby.
- Susceptible to gas problems if brought up too quickly by collectors, and wild stock occasionally arrives with damage from that. Captive-bred fish avoid the issue entirely and are widely available.
Problems to watch for
Most problems in a tank containing this species are general rather than species-specific. Start with the troubleshooting index and work from the observation rather than from a guess at the cause.
What AquariumHQ does not yet hold
Species-level disease susceptibility is modelled in the graph and is not yet populated. Health pages will not be published until each condition has veterinary sourcing, because health content written without evidence is the most harmful thing this product could publish. The gap is recorded in the coverage report.
Where it comes from
- Native range
- Lake Tanganyika — the northern basin, on deep rocky slopes
- Habitat
- Rocky drop-offs at thirty metres and deeper, in cool, still, very hard water with almost no light variation.
What the checklists say
2 distribution statements retrieved from GBIF checklists. Establishment means is reproduced from the source where it states one, and left unstated where it does not — a record of presence is not a record of origin.
| Status | Places | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| Recorded as present, establishment means not stated | 2 | The source records the species as present and does not say whether it is native or introduced. AquariumHQ does not fill that in. |
No checklist AquariumHQ holds positively calls this species native anywhere, so the native range above rests on AquariumHQ’s own reading of the literature rather than on a cited checklist.
Evidence
Every stored value with the kind of support behind it and where to check it. Evidence type and confidence are separate axes: an editorial position held confidently and a measurement held tentatively are different things.
| Claim | Value | Evidence type | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| scientific name | Cyphotilapia frontosa | Observed / measured | high confidence | Catalogue of Life; GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| native range | Lake Tanganyika — the northern basin, on deep rocky slopes | Observed / measured | moderate confidence | GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| adult size | 30–35 cm | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| lifespan | 15–25 years | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| temperature | 23–26 °C | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| ph | 8–9 pH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| general hardness | 12–22 °dGH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank volume | ≥ 800 L | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank length | ≥ 200 cm | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| carbonate hardness | 14–20 °dKH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum group size | ≥ 5 | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
Last reviewed 2026-08-10. Values labelled as an aquarium-literature consensus are AquariumHQ editorial positions rather than measurements — see how evidence is handled.
Why we say this
What each figure on this page rests on, and how far that is from being independently established.
Every figure on this page has a provenance. Open any claim to see what AquariumHQ holds for it, which sources say what, and what a claim of that kind actually needs. Different claims need different evidence: an accepted scientific name is settled by one authority, while a legal restriction needs a current primary instrument. A single source is often the right answer rather than a thin one.
scientific nameAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: accepted scientific name and classification — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. Checked against gbif on 2026-08-29. One authoritative backbone is what this class requires.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
native rangeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableLimited evidence — treat with caution.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: where the species occurs — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. 2 distribution statements held, and not one of them states an establishment means. Presence without native-or-introduced is not a native-range claim, so this stays below requirement rather than being read as one.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
adult sizeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: size a well-kept specimen reaches — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
lifespanAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
temperatureAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
phAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
general hardnessAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
minimum tank volumeAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
minimum tank lengthAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
carbonate hardnessAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
minimum group sizeAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: group size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
Guides relevant to this species
Chosen from this record's own traits rather than listed on every page.
- Predator and prey sizeIt takes fish that fit in its mouth, and its mouth grows with it.
- Wild conditions and aquarium recommendationsThe water band on this page is an AquariumHQ position with a stated reason, not a measurement of a river.
- Rehoming an animal you can no longer keepThis animal reaches 35 cm. Most of the difficult rehoming cases are fish sold small that were always going to become impossible.
Group size and social behaviour
Lives in loose groups in the lake and does best in one, with a single adult male. Two males in the same tank is a slow, quiet, entirely one-sided conflict rather than a visible fight.