Coelotilapia joka

Coelotilapia joka
Conservation status
Vulnerable  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Actinopterygii
Order:	Perciformes
Family:	Cichlidae
Genus:	Coelotilapia Dunz & Schliewen, 2013
Species:	C. joka
Binomial name
Coelotilapia joka[1] (Thys van den Audenaerde, 1969)
Synonyms
Tilapia joka

Coelotilapia joka is a species of cichlid fish from Sierra Leone and Liberia in West Africa. It is an oval shaped fish with a black body coloring. Eight to nine yellow, transverse stripes mark the body. The head has small, irregular yellow lines that extend from the eye to the snout, forehead, and mouth. It is one of the few tilapia species that are kept in aquariums.

Characteristics

Coelotilapia joka normally grows to 20 centimetres (7.9 in) in nature, not usually larger than 12 centimetres (4.7 in) in aquaria. It originates from West Africa; found near the banks of clear rivers and tributaries of the lower parts of the Moa and Moro Rivers, southern Sierra Leone and northern Liberia and lives from the middle to the bottom of the river. Males have an elongated anal and dorsal fins and, with age, have white tips on their fins. In the wild, its diet is mainly herbivorous with some live foods taken.

Coelotilapia joka is a peaceful, calm species that does well when combined with fish that have a similar temperament. Although it is territorial it will not harm other fishes. Pairs form monogamous bonds and later patriarch/matriarch families.

Special interest for aquarists

A tank with the dimensions of 48" (122 cm) with a capacity of 55 gallons (209 L) is sufficient. The tank should have hiding places created by caves, rock structures, roots, and wood. Use robust plants along the back and sides of the aquarium. Use a fine gravel or sand substrate. The water should be clear and well-aerated. Use an effective filtration system to keep the water clean.

Ideal pH range from pH 6-7.5 at 73–77 °F (23–25 °C)

Breeding

Use a separate breeding tank with a pH from 6.2-6.7, a water hardness from 2-4 dH, and a temperature from 77–81 °F (25–27 °C). Up to 200 muddy-yellow eggs are deposited on the ceiling of a large cave. The female cares for the eggs, while the male guards the territory. The eggs hatch after four to five days. The young are moved to a pit where they are free-swimming four to six days further. The parents continue their care for another week. Start feeding with Artemia nauplii, Cyclops nauplii, and crushed dry foods. The young are difficult to rear. Breeding is fairly difficult to initiate.

General requirements

Requires frequent partial water changes to prosper.

References

• Froese, Rainer and Pauly, Daniel, eds. (2013). "Tilapia joka" in FishBase. February 2013 version.
• Data related to Coelotilapia joka at Wikispecies