Bathybates is a genus of piscivorous cichlids endemic to Lake Tanganyika in East Africa.

[1] They are some of the deepest-living cichlids, regularly occurring down to 200 m (660 ft).

[1] They are elongated in shape with a silvery color and a dark spotted or striped pattern.

Depending on the species involved, they reach lengths of up to 20.5 to 42 cm (8–16.5 in).

[2] Although not closely related, they have sometimes been compared to piscivorous Rhamphochromis cichlids of Lake Malawi.