Aquarium fish

The Livingston's cichlid (Nimbochromis livingstonii) belongs to the family Cichlidae and originates from Lake Malawi. Lake Malawi is one of the Great Lakes of East Africa. About a thousand species of fish live there, with cichlids making up the majority. Cichlids are incredibly diverse in terms of shapes, sizes, and colors, but they can also be interesting, as we will vividly demonstrate in this article, in terms of behavior. Therefore, it is no wonder that some aquarists specialize specifically in breeding Malawi fish.

The natives call them "kaligono," meaning "sleeper." More than once, they have tricked fishermen by sinking to the bottom and lying on their side as soon as they are caught in a net, waiting for the fishermen to leave. They do not panic but can "keep a cool head" and deliberately resolve the situation.

They live throughout the lake, but primarily in its southern part. They grow to about 25 cm. They have a light brown to beige color, adorned with irregular dark brown spots, which actually help them camouflage and blend in with the sandy lake bottom. During the breeding season, males undergo a color transformation, displaying more vivid blue and enhanced patterns to attract females. Their territory covers about 40 m², which they diligently guard every day.

Their pale coloring with green and brown spots goes hand in hand with their cunning hunting method. For example, if during their territory patrol they spot a group of young Fülleborn's cichlids (Labeotropheus fuelleborni) contentedly grazing on algae near the shore, they slowly obstruct their path such that one to two meters ahead of them, they bury themselves in the sand and lie on their side. The young cichlids cautiously approach what appears to be a dead fish. However, the Livingston's cichlid stealthily watches them. As soon as they dare to bite the corpse, the Livingston's cichlid swiftly emerges and swallows the bold ones. The rest scatter, but that doesn't mean they won't be caught again.

Apparently, aquarists have also experienced instances where their Livingston's cichlid suddenly lay on its side, appearing to be time to fish it out. However, shortly thereafter, part of the crew disappeared.

Source: Bennemann, Markus. Rafinované vraždy v živočišné říši. Knižní klub, 2010.