Nimbochromis venustus

Description

Nimbochromis venustus, commonly called venustus hap or giraffe hap, is a Haplochromine cichlid endemid to Lake Malawi in Africa. It prefers the deeper regions of the lake (6 to 23 metres (20 to 75 ft)) where it hunts smaller juvenile cichlids with a specialised hunting technique. After spotting prey, it will partially submerge itself into the sand and lie motionless until the chosen fish comes within reach. it will then dart out of the sand and strike. It is related to Nimbochromis livingstonii. In the wild it is known to grow to 25 centimetres (9.8 in) TL though usually not exceeding a length of 22.5 centimetres (8.9 in) TL. It is a popular freshwater aquarium fish which grows between 8 and 12 inches (20–30 cm) in length. This fish should ONLY be kept with other Lake Malawi cichlids. Some catfish are also compatible. These fish are generally yellow with brown blotches (like a giraffe). Males will have a blue head and other blue colouring when they reach sexual maturity.