The fishes in this tank are part of the Lake Victoria conservation effort. They represent several species being maintained by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association's Lake Victoria Species Survival Program©. Many of the species represented here are now extinct in nature; you are literally looking at the last of their breed.

This display appears through the courtesy of the Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation, a division of the Wildlife Conservation Society. Located in Brooklyn, the Aquarium maintains a permanent display of Lake Victoria cichlids in its Conservation Hall exhibition. We encourage you to visit the Aquarium to see these and other endangered aquatic species. For additional information, call 718-265-FISH.

Haplochromis (Paralabidochromis) chilotes

Haplochromis (Astatotilapia) latifasciata

Haplochromis (Astatotilapia) nyrerei

Haplochromis (Xystichromis) phytophagus

Haplochromis (Neochromis) migricans

Haplochromis (Pyxichromis) orthostoma

Haplochromis (Prognathochromis) perrieri

Haplochromis (Harpagochromis) sp.

Haplochromis (Enterochromis) sp.

Oreochromis esculentus

Cichlid Teeth: Form Follows Function

Like a few other fish, cichlids have two sets of jaws in their heads.

One set, located in the mouth, is used for catching food.

The other set is located further back, in the throat region. Throat teeth are important for preparing food to be swallowed.

Because different species of cichlids eat different foods, their throat teeth have to be specialized, that is, appropriate for a specific task.

Once there were many species of cichlids in Lake Victoria, each with a distinctive diet and unique adaptations for acquiring and processing food. Thanks to their evolutionary diversification, these fish were able to utilize fully the limited resources of the Lake.