''Dimidiochromis strigatus'' is a species of

haplochromine __NOTOC__ The haplochromine cichlids are a tribe of cichlids in subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae called Haplochromini. This group includes the type genus (''Haplochromis'') plus a number of closely related genera such as '' Aulonocara'', '' Astat ...

cichlid Cichlids are fish from the family Cichlidae in the order Cichliformes. Cichlids were traditionally classed in a suborder, the Labroidei, along with the wrasses ( Labridae), in the order Perciformes, but molecular studies have contradicted this ...

endemic to Malawi. It was formerly placed in the genus '' Haplochromis'' and known as ''Haplochromis'' 'sunset' in the

aquarium An aquarium (plural: ''aquariums'' or ''aquaria'') is a vivarium of any size having at least one transparent side in which aquatic plants or animals are kept and displayed. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, aq ...

fish trade. It is endemic to Malawi where it is found in Lake Malawi, Lake Malombe and the upper and mid Shire River. It is normally found in shallower areas with a mixture of weedy and sandy habitats. It is a predator of small fishes such as

utaka image:Copadichromis_azureus.jpg, ''Copadichromis azureus'', one of the utaka of Lake Malawi in Africa Utaka is the term used for open water-dwelling cichlids found in Lake Malawi, the most diverse source of cichlids in the world of aquaria. Among ...

and larger invertebrates. The

territorial A territory is an area of land, sea, or space, particularly belonging or connected to a country, person, or animal. In international politics, a territory is usually either the total area from which a state may extract power resources or a ...

males defend a small spawning site which they create either among the vegetation or on the open sand.

References

Fish of Malawi strigatus Fish described in 1922 Taxonomy articles created by Polbot Fish of Lake Malawi {{Haplochromis-stub