Frontosa care guide

Plan a tank with frontosasSee all tank mates

Frontosa quick facts

Tank setup

Plan on at least 200 gallons (757 L) and a tank about 6.5 ft (200 cm) long for a group of five adults, and more for a bigger colony. Stack stable rock caves along the back, leave open water in front, and use sand. Frontosa dig and uproot plants, so tie anubias or java fern to rock if you want greenery. Keep the light fairly dim, since they come from deep water and settle best in subdued tanks.

How many frontosas in a tank?

Frontosas need a very large tank: at least 200 gallons (757 L).

Numbers are bioload limits only. Males fight, so keep a group of 5 or more with more females than males.

Water parameters

Aim for 24–27 °C (75–81 °F), pH 8.0–9.0 and 10–20 dGH, like the hard, alkaline water of Lake Tanganyika. Crushed coral or aragonite sand helps hold the pH up in soft-water areas. These large fish make a lot of waste, so use strong filtration and change a good share of the water every week.

Best tank mates for frontosas

These popular species share frontosas' water needs and temperament. See the full list of 0 good matches.

Avoid keeping frontosas with

• Angelfish: Frontosa is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 8–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Angelfish don't belong in that setup.
• Betta fish: Frontosa can eat bettas: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Bristlenose pleco: Frontosa is a Lake Tanganyika cichlid. It needs a Lake Tanganyika tank: hard, alkaline water (pH 8–9), plenty of rockwork and other cichlids from the same lake. Bristlenose plecos don't belong in that setup.
• Bronze corydoras: Frontosa can eat bronze corydoras: they're small enough to fit in its mouth once it's grown.
• Cherry shrimp: Frontosa eats small shrimp like cherry shrimp.
• Common goldfish: They need different temperatures: Frontosa 24–27°C (75–81°F), common goldfish 15–22°C (59–72°F).

Feeding

In the wild it hunts small fish and eats snails and other invertebrates. Feed a quality sinking cichlid pellet as the staple, plus frozen krill, mysis, shrimp and chopped mussel. Include some food with spirulina or other plant matter. Skip feeder fish and mammal or bird meat, which can carry disease and are hard to digest.

Behavior

Frontosa are calm with fish too big to swallow, but anything about 4 in (10 cm) or smaller is prey, often taken in low light. Males form a pecking order, so keep one male to three or four females, or a larger colony in a very big tank. Good mates are large, peaceful Lake Tanganyika fish and sturdy catfish such as synodontis. Avoid small fish, shrimp and snails.

Breeding

Young frontosa cannot be sexed; adult males grow larger, with longer fins and a bigger hump. They mature slowly, often taking around three years. The female carries 10–50 large eggs in her mouth for about 5–7 weeks. The fry come out big enough to eat baby brine shrimp and crushed pellets.

Tips from experienced keepers

• Buy a group of 6–8 juveniles and let them sort themselves out, since you cannot tell young males from females.
• Plan for a 12 in (30 cm) fish: a cute 2 in (5 cm) juvenile grows slowly but needs a huge tank in the end.
• Avoid tank mates under about 4 in (10 cm); an adult frontosa can swallow them, often at dusk or at night.
• Keep lighting soft and add caves. Frontosa come from deep water and are calmer in dim tanks.
• Many blue forms sold as frontosa, such as 'Blue Zaire', are now classed as Cyphotilapia gibberosa. Their care is the same.

Sources

We checked these references when writing this page. Values are for healthy long-term keeping, not survival limits. Last reviewed 2026-10-13. See our editorial policy.

• seriouslyfish.com
• fishbase.se
• fishkeepingworld.com
• en.wikipedia.org
• aquariadise.com