Inhabits various stony and rocky habitats, including stone-sand mixed substrates. It is generally more abundant at gently sloping shores with small and medium sized rock boulders. Females, non-territorial males and subadults are gregarious and forage in groups. Feeds on a variety of food items such as diatoms, filamentous epilithic algae, detritus, insect larvae and Bryozoa.
Dorsal spines (total): 15 - 16; Dorsal soft rays (total): 8 - 10; Anal spines: 3; Anal soft rays: 7 - 9; Vertebrae: 29 - 30. : fusiform / normal.
Behavioural data for Haplochromis Mbipi is currently being reviewed.
A polygynous female mouthbrooder with maternal parental care. Males defend territories of usually less than a square meter surface around a larger crevice. During courtship and male-male interactions they leave the crevice, but usually do not move far away from it. Females are led to the crevice, where the spawning takes place. Males are vigorously defending the territories against conspecific males. Brooding females guard small territories around a small cave at variable water depths. In the aquarium, females release their fry after about 21 days but continue to keep them in the mouth in situations of danger and at night, for up to another 21 days.
Freshwater; demersal; depth range 0 - 6 m . Tropical known from most of south-eastern Lake Victoria.
a variety of food items such as diatoms, filamentous epilithic algae, detritus, insect larvae and Br
The following diseases are known to affect Haplochromis Mbipi.
No observations yet - be the first to log one!
View all observations for Haplochromis Mbipi ↗Spotted incorrect or outdated data? Submit a correction and our editorial team will review it. Approved edits go live within 48 hours.
Found a factual error, broken data, or inappropriate content? Let us know and we will investigate promptly.