Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

By genera By locations Locations Maps Posters Interactive map

Protomelas sp. 'steveni imperial' Maingano Island.jpg

Pseudotropheus crabro 'Maingano Island'.jpg

Pseudotropheus cyaneorhabdos 'Maingano Island'.jpg

Pseudotropheus sp. 'aggressive grey' Maingano Island.jpg

Pseudotropheus sp. 'thin stripe' Maingano Island.jpg

Pseudotropheus cyaneorhabdos 'Maingano Island'

Genus:	Pseudotropheus
Type locality:	Mbako Point, Likoma Island, Lake Malawi, Malawi
Biotope:	Rocky habitat, primarily sediment-free areas but also transitional zones between sediment-rich and clean rocky environments. Occurs at depths of 3–18 m and is most numerous between 5–12 m.
Geographic distribution:	Endemic to the northeastern corner of Likoma Island, from the eastern side of Yofu Bay to Membe Point, with the highest population density at Maingano Island.
Typical adult size:	Up to 9 cm in males and 7 cm in females. In aquarium conditions, both sexes may grow a few centimeters larger.
Sexual dimorphism:	Very little external difference between sexes. Both males and females have a dark body with two horizontal pale blue stripes. Adult males are usually slightly more intensely colored and possess 1–5 yellow egg spots on the anal fin, while females have one or none.
Recommended aquarium size:	An aquarium volume of 300 L with a minimum tank length of 120 cm is recommended.
Aquarium setup:	Provide abundant rockwork with numerous caves and crevices for shelter, as well as open sandy areas. Due to intraspecific aggression, maintain at least 3–4 females per male and keep them in larger groups. They are best housed with robust mbuna species of similar temperament.
Diet:	Omnivorous with a strong preference for feeding from aufwuchs. Consumes algae, especially diatoms and cyanobacteria, along with microorganisms, small crustaceans and plankton.
Breeding:	Weakly territorial, defending only temporary spawning sites. Spawning likely takes place in caves between rocks. Females brood 10–30 eggs for about 20 days and do not feed during incubation. Fry are released and not taken back into the mouth. Juveniles resemble adults in coloration.
Aggression:	Males are quite aggressive toward conspecifics. Aggression toward other species is mainly observed during spawning. Group maintenance is recommended to distribute aggression.
Special notes:	Distinguished by two horizontal pale blue stripes on a dark body and is very similar to Pseudotropheus johannii, making males difficult to distinguish. Historically placed in Melanochromis due to superficial resemblance, but later reassigned to Pseudotropheus. It is listed as Critically Endangered (CR, 2018) due to its very restricted distribution and pressure from the ornamental fish trade.