Rhamphochromis longiceps (Günther 1864)

Diagnosis: small, closely-packed teeth; relatively small maximum size; larger specimens often with bright greenish metallic iridescence on upper surface of the body, mature males can be more bluish-grey (Ref. 55949).Description: small, streamlined fish with smaller mouth and teeth than most congenerics; operculum with relatively large surface area and squarish appearance; cheek relatively deep; eye large; teeth very small and closely packed; gill-rakers usually long, unbranched and closely-packed (Ref. 55949). Coloration: body countershaded, dark grey dorsally; immature fish and mature fish of both sexes may have grey-white or orange-yellow ventral fins; there may be 3-6 yellow or pinkish egg spots on the anal fin; aquarium-kept specimens sometimes show faint narrow vertical bars (Ref. 55949).

Mouthbrooding females and juveniles commonly found inshore, generally in surface water in the shelf and littoral zones, often in reed bays and lagoons (Ref. 55949).

Feeds on fish and zooplankton (Ref. 4380).

Found in reedy bays and lagoons, at open sandy beaches, throughout the shelf and reef zones (Ref. 55949), and in the open water (Ref. 5595, 55949). Piscivorous (Ref. 5595, 55949). Small specimens mostly feed on crustacean zooplankton, adults predominantly eat larvae and juveniles of small shoaling zooplanktivorous cyprinid Engraulicypris sardella; female mouthbrooder (Ref. 55949).

aquarium: commercial

Rhamphochromis longiceps, also known as the tigerfish, is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi and the upper Shire River. It can also be found in the aquarium trade. It occurs in all the habitats in the lake including inshore reefs, rock shelf and littoral zones as well as in the offshore pelagic zone. It is piscivorous and has been recorded at depths of 3–74 metres (9.8–242.8 ft). It breeds in both the south east and south west arms of the lake. The females mouthbrood the eggs and while they are doing so they migrate to shallow water to release their offspring among vegetated lagoons and swampy areas. The juveniles are found near the surface in inshore waters over the shelf and littoral zones. The brood size is 27–68 eggs, the maximum total length is 25 centimetres (9.8 in). This species is the type species of the genus Rhamphochromis.