Lake Malawi Cichlid Food Web
Freshwater
Southeast Africa — Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania
Description
Lake Malawi contains over 800 cichlid species, the most species-rich lake for a single fish family on Earth. Rocky shore mbuna cichlids have radiated into algae scrapers, plankton feeders, snail crushers, and egg thieves, all within a single adaptive radiation. This extraordinary diversity arose within the last 2-5 million years.
Trophic Pyramid
Level 5
Decomposers
Benthic bacteria
Freshwater crabs
Detritivorous cichlids
3 species
Level 4
Tertiary Consumers
African fish eagle
Monitor lizard
Otter
3 species
Level 3
Secondary Consumers
Piscivorous cichlids
Bagrid catfish
Kampango catfish
3 species
Level 2
Primary Consumers
Mbuna algae scrapers
Utaka plankton feeders
Lake sardine (usipa)
3 species
Level 1
Producers
Aufwuchs algae
Phytoplankton
Vallisneria
3 species
Apex Predators
Tertiary Consumers
Secondary Consumers
Primary Consumers
Producers
Key Interactions
- Mbuna cichlids defend algae territories on rocky substrates with aggressive displays
- Paedophagous cichlids ram mouthbrooding females to steal and eat their eggs
- Kampango catfish are nocturnal apex predators reaching 1.5 meters in length
- Lake sardines form the base of artisanal fisheries feeding lakeshore communities