Like most cichlids, the Menarambo cichlid is characterized by biparental breeding (both parents care for their young) and highly seasonal reproduction. The cichlid was first discovered and described in a lake in northern Madagascar in the 1990s. Shortly afterwards, however, it disappeared from the location where it was found due to overfishing and competition from foreign fish. Fortunately, scientists discovered another population in 2006 in Lac Tseny, also in northern Madagascar. This lake is the last natural habitat of the Menarambo cichlid, which is why it is classified as "critically endangered" on the Red List of Threatened Species. There are several breeding groups in Europe and the USA that are intended to ensure the survival of this species.
| Closest relatives |
Perch family, cichlids (1700 species) |
| Habitat |
lakes |
| Behaviour |
in small shoals |
| Diet |
molluscs, crustaceans, plankton |
| Body length |
25 cm |
| Spawn |
eggs in substrate, both parents breed and guard the eggs Breeding period: unknown |
| Breeding period |
unknown |
| Life expectancy |
unknown |
| Use |
formerly an important food fish |
| Current status |
in Lac Tseny, extinct in Lac Sandrano |
| At Zurich Zoo since |
2012 |
Sponsors
|
A. Frischknecht, Rüti |
|
V. Zickenberg, D-Aach |
