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Lethrinops altus "Thumbi East"


Lethrinops altus is mainly living in reasonable shallow water above sandy, muddy bottoms. Probably they can be found on several places spread over entire Lake Malawi. These examples were caught in the neighbourhood of Thumbi East Island in the southern part of the lake.


In the lake the males of these species can grow to 16 cm, in the aquarium however they can grow a little taller because of a good feeding. The males can then grow to about 18 cm, females grow to about 13 cm.


You can best keep this species with multiple females in a large tank with a lot of swimming space. It`s a quiet, peaceful cichlid which can be hold best with other quiet species from equal environments, mbuna are generally too aggresive.


In the lake Lethrinops altus is mainly feeding itself with insect larvae and other invertebrates which it jiggs out of the sand. They are doing this by diving in the mud with their head or sometimes even with their whole body.
In the aquarium they are comfortable with any food. They take everything they get offered, like spirulina pellets, mysis, artemia, cyclops and shrimp-peas mix.