Actinopteri (ray-finned fishes) > Cichliformes
(Cichlids, convict blennies) > Cichlidae
(Cichlids) > Pseudocrenilabrinae
Etymology: Eretmodus: Greek, eretmos, -ou = with oars + Greek, odous = teeth (Ref. 45335). More on author: Boulenger.
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Freshwater; benthopelagic; pH range: 8.0 - 9.0; dH range: 9 - 19. Tropical; 24°C - 26°C (Ref. 1672); 3°S - 9°S
Africa: endemic to Lake Tanganyika, occurs in the southern part of the Lake, from Kipili (Tanzania) to Moliro (Democratic Republic of the Congo) (Ref. 46829).
Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm
Max length : 9.0 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 5633)
(total): 23 - 24;
soft rays: 6 - 7. Diagnosis: Eretmodus cyanostictus is characterized by a terminal mouth and a number of bright blue spots on the head and upper half of the body (Ref. 92306). About 5 light bars are present on the side of the body but evident only on the lower half of the body and none crossing the posterior en of the body or caudal peduncle (Ref. 92306).
Occurs in rocky areas (Ref. 53528). Adults occur in the turbulent, highly oxygenated shallow waters of the surf zone; found in the shallows of a gradually sloping rocky coast where some sand is found between the rocks; solitary and to some extent, territorial; heavy body and small swim bladder result in negative buoyancy (Ref. 6770). Feeds on algae which are scraped from the rocks (Ref. 6770, 46829). Both parents brood their young in the mouth (Ref. 52921, 86760).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Eggs from the cleavage phase and larvae of up to 1.09 cm TL are mouthbrooded by male and female parents ranging from 4.7 to 6.2 cm SL (Ref. 86760).
Konings, A., 1998. Tanganyika cichlids in their natural habitat. Cichlid Press. 272 p. (Ref. 46829)
IUCN Red List Status (Ref. 123251)
CITES (Ref. 123416)
Threat to humans
Fisheries: ; aquarium: commercial
ReferencesAquacultureAquaculture profileStrainsGeneticsAllele frequenciesHeritabilityDiseasesProcessingMass conversion
Estimates based on models
Phylogenetic diversity index (Ref. 82805
= 0.7500 [Uniqueness, from 0.5 = low to 2.0 = high].
Bayesian length-weight: a=0.01738 (0.00747 - 0.04041), b=3.03 (2.84 - 3.22), in cm total length, based on LWR estimates for this (Sub)family-body shape (Ref. 93245
Trophic level (Ref. 69278
): 2.1 ±0.1 se; based on diet studies.
Resilience (Ref. 120179
): Low, minimum population doubling time 4.5 - 14 years (tm<1 (?); Fec=20-25 (aquarium observation)).
Vulnerability (Ref. 59153
): Low vulnerability (11 of 100) .