Habitat:
Lives on sub-littoral zones with rocky habitat between
10–120 m. One of the largest species in Lake
Tanganyika which tells you that this is not really
an aquarium fish as it grows too big, but in captivity
it is reported that it should attain half the size
of this species in its natural habitat. Reproduction:
Nothing known about reproduction, but reproduction
probably occurs in coastal rather than deep water.
Diet: Omnivorous, with a preference
for fish. Migrates from the bottom at night to feed
on clupeids near the surface. Remarks:
In the IUCN Red List it is classed as 'near threatened'and
it states that endemic to Lake Tanganyika where it
is limited to the littoral zone it is heavily exploited
by fisheries with strong indications of significant
decline due to overfishing. More information is required
to confirm this decline.
Common
Name:
None
Synonyms:
None
Family:
Clariidae
Distribution:
Africa:
Lake Tanganyika. Type locality: Mpala,
Lake Tanganyika.
Size:
175.0cm. (5ft 10ins)
Temp:
22-25°C (71-77°F)
p.H.
7.2-8.5.
Reference:
Dinotopterus cunningtoni
Boulenger, 1906 collected in Zambia by South African
Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity. Seegers, L.
2008 The catfishes of Africa. A handbook for identification
and maintenance. Aqualog Verlag A.C.S. GmbH, Germany.
604 p.
If you would like to contribute to the monthly
factsheets with an article, information or photos, please e-mail
me. You will of course be credited for your work.
If you would like to donate any denomination
of monies to the site just click the above link button. All proceeds
will go to running the site and hopefully to keep it going for a few
years yet.