The Hunchback Tilapia (Cyphotilapia frontosa), is commonly called the Frontosa, or the Hunchback Cichlid. It is a cichlid fish found in Lake Tanganyika in East Africa. Cyphotilapia means hunchback fish, and frontosa means big forehead.
The Hunchback Tilapia has 5-7 vertical black bars on a white-blue body. Its fins also look white-blue. One of the black bars runs through its eyes. It is a thick-lipped fish. The most striking feature is the hump on its forehead. It is called a nuchal hump. Nuchal means that the hump is on the nape (back of the neck).
Hunchback Tilapia
The Hunchback Tilapia can grow to 33 centimetres (13 inches) long. It is a popular aquarium fish, but in the wild it lives in deep water in caves and rocks. They live in small groups of 3-4 individuals.
It can live for over 25 years.
Hunchback Tilapia
[Location of photographs: Tbilisi Zoo, Georgia]
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM