Alluaud’s Haplo, scientifically known as Astatoreochromis alluaudi, is a type of freshwater fish in the cichlid family.
It’s found in East Africa, living in lakes such as Lake Victoria. This fish prefers swampy environments.
Alluaud’s Haplo eats both plants and animals, including snails. In fact, snails are a big part of its diet. This fish has a strong jaw that helps it crush snail shells easily.
People also use this fish to control snail populations.
The name of this fish pays tribute to Charles A. Alluaud, a French explorer and entomologist who collected the first sample of this species.
Alluaud’s Haplo lives on different types of underwater surfaces and is commonly found wherever water is less than 20 meters deep. It even lives in papyrus swamps.
Although it mainly eats mollusks like snails, it might eat other food sources depending on what’s available in its environment.
You can check out what this fish looks like over here.
Alluaud’s Haplo Interesting Facts
- Alluaud’s Haplo is a freshwater fish native to East Africa, thriving in swampy environments and lakes such as Lake Victoria.
- This fish has strong jaws for crushing snail shells, making snails a significant part of its diet.
- Not considered threatened by IUCN, Allauad’s Haplo is used for controlling snail populations in various countries.
- The breeding season remains unclear but may occur after the short rainy season from November to December.
Alluaud’s Haplo Habitat
Alluaud’s Haplo is from Africa and is found in lakes Edward, George, Kyoga, Victoria, Nakavali, and Kachira. It also lives in rivers and streams connected to these lakes like the Semliki River.
Alluaud’s Haplo has been introduced to many parts of East Africa for controlling snails. It now has a wide distribution in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi, and Rwanda.
This fish was also introduced in the Benue River basin in northern Cameroon. However, there are no successful reports of its introduction in the Congo Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Central Africa, or Zambia.
Alluaud’s Haplo is a freshwater fish that swims near the bottom. It prefers water with a pH between 7.5 to 8.5 and a hardness (dH) around 15 or higher.
This fish usually lives at depths up to 20 meters (65 feet). The ideal temperature for this fish is between 75.2°F to 82.4°F (24°C to 28°C).
Alluaud’s Haplo is found between latitudes 2°N to 4°S.
| Water Temperature: | 75.2°F to 82.4°F (24°C to 28°C) |
| Water pH: | 7.5 to 8.5 pH |
| Water Hardness: | Unknown |
Alluaud’s Haplo Physical Characteristics
Size: 7.5 inches (19.0 centimeters)
Alluaud’s Haplo grows up to 7.5 inches (19.0 centimeters)long. It has 16 to 20 dorsal spines, 6 to 9 dorsal soft rays, 4 to 7 anal spines, and 6 to 9 anal soft rays.
You can differentiate this fish from a similar fish called A. straeleni by its higher number of anal spines (4 to 7 vs. 3 to 4) and slightly different range of dorsal spines (17 to 19, sometimes 16 or 20 vs. 16 to 18 or rarely 19).
Alluaud’s Haplo Reproduction
Alluaud’s Haplo carries its eggs in its mouth during reproduction.
Its breeding season isn’t well-known, but it happens after the short rainy season from November to December.
Alluaud’s Haplo Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cichliformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Genus: | Astatoreochromis |
| Scientific Name: | Astatoreochromis alluaudi |
| Also Known As: | Alluaud’s Haplo |
| Conservation Status: | Least Concern |