Hump-head

About

Hump-head (Cyrtocara moorii) is one of the more distinctive cichlids out of Lake Malawi, instantly recognizable by the pronounced forehead hump that develops as males mature, and by the powder-blue coloration that spreads across the body of adults. In the wild it inhabits shallow, sandy zones of the lake, and it has developed a clever foraging strategy. Shoals of these fish shadow bottom-sifting species, moving in to pick off invertebrates and other morsels that get stirred up from the sand. That social, shoaling nature carries over into the aquarium, where they genuinely do better kept as a group rather than singly or in pairs. Despite a reputation for aggression in the cichlid world, this species sits toward the calmer end of the Malawi spectrum. It is not a scrapper like the mbuna, though its sheer size means smaller tankmates will feel uncomfortable. Large, peaceful haplochromines and Rift Lake catfish make sensible companions. Males do become territorial during spawning, and breeding is considered a real challenge. Females are maternal mouthbrooders that carry eggs for several weeks and are notoriously prone to spitting the brood if stressed. Sexing young fish is difficult, so starting with a group of juveniles and letting them grow on together is the standard approach. This is a rewarding species for the intermediate keeper ready to dedicate a serious amount of space to it.