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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Chindongo minutus 'Lion's Cove'.jpg Chindongo minutus 'Mbowe Island'.jpg Chindongo minutus 'Nkhata Bay'.jpg Chindongo minutus 'Ruarwe'.jpg
Previous pageNext pageChindongo minutus 'Nkhata Bay'
Genus: Chindongo
Type locality: Nkhata Bay, Lake Malawi
Biotope: Rocky habitat with small to medium-sized rocks. Also occurs on sandy patches between rocks. Most abundant between 4 and 15 m depth, but recorded from very shallow water down to about 25 m.
Geographic distribution: Western coast of Lake Malawi, from Nkhata Bay southwards to Chitande Island. Northern populations may represent a different, closely related species.
Typical adult size: Males up to about 7 cm total length in the wild, females around 6 cm; specimens may grow larger in aquaria, occasionally up to about 10 cm.
Sexual dimorphism: Males are larger and powder blue in coloration. Females are smaller, brownish, with shorter fins and less developed anal ocelli.
Recommended aquarium size: 200 L; larger aquaria (300 L or more) recommended for groups with multiple males.
Aquarium setup: Aquarium with abundant rockwork forming caves and crevices. Provide many visual barriers. Can be kept in harems (one male with several females) or in larger groups with multiple males if all are introduced simultaneously.
Diet: Aufwuchs grazer, feeding mainly on algae and biofilm. Also ingests small invertebrates associated with the algal cover. In aquaria, a vegetable-rich diet is essential.
Breeding: Maternal mouthbrooder. Males prepare a spawning pit beneath rocks. Females incubate eggs and fry in the mouth for about three weeks before releasing the young.
Aggression: Intraspecific aggression can be pronounced, especially between males. Generally tolerant toward other species. Multiple males can coexist in sufficiently large aquaria if introduced together.
Special notes: A dwarf mbuna species with a powder blue ground color. Often confused with other small, blue-barred mbuna. Despite its small size, males show active territorial behavior.

Photo gallery

Photo: © Ad Konings
Photo: © Ad Konings
Photo: © Ad Konings
Photo: © Mark Thomas
Photo: © Mark Thomas
Photo: © Carsten Jensen Gissel
Photo: © Carsten Jensen Gissel
Photo: © Larry Johnson
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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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