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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Maylandia nigrodorsalis 'Chiloelo'.jpg Maylandia nigrodorsalis 'Meponda'.jpg Maylandia nigrodorsalis 'Nkhungu Point'.jpg Maylandia nigrodorsalis 'Nkolongwe'.jpg
Previous pageNext pageMaylandia nigrodorsalis 'Meponda'<br><font color=gray>Metriaclima nigrodorsalis 'Meponda'<br>Maylandia sp. 'black dorsal chiloelo' Meponda</font>
Genus: Maylandia
Type locality: Nkolongwe, Lake Malawi, Mozambique
Biotope: Intermediate habitat at depths of approximately 7–20 m, consisting of a mixture of rocks and sand. The sandy bottom and rocks are often covered by a layer of fine sediment, and the substrate usually slopes gently toward deeper water.
Geographic distribution: Occurs along the Mozambique shore of Lake Malaŵi, with confirmed populations at N’kolongwe, Thundu, Nkhungu, Chiloelo, and Charlie’s Bay.
Typical adult size: In the lake, males reach about 10.5 cm total length while females are roughly 25% smaller and rarely exceed 8 cm. Under captive conditions, both sexes may grow up to about 2 cm larger.
Sexual dimorphism: Sexes differ clearly in coloration. Males are larger and display a blue to yellow flank with 6–9 black vertical bars, yellow pigment on the cheek and breast, and a black submarginal band in the dorsal fin. Females are smaller, bluish-brown to beige, with darker bars and also show a black submarginal band in the dorsal fin, making them indistinguishable from females of Maylandia lundoense.
Recommended aquarium size: At least 300 liters, with a minimum tank length of about 120 cm.
Aquarium setup: A rocky layout with numerous caves and crevices created by piled stones. One male should be kept with several females (ideally 3–4). Due to strong intraspecific aggression, more than one male should not be housed together. Suitable tankmates are other robust mbuna, while closely related or very similar-looking species should be avoided to reduce aggression and the risk of hybridization.
Diet: Primarily herbivorous. Feeds mainly on phytoplankton and on diatoms and cyanobacteria combed from the aufwuchs on rocks, occasionally browsing loose algae from the substrate.
Breeding: Territorial males defend a burrow beneath a rock or among small rock piles. Females visit the male’s territory for spawning, which takes place inside the burrow. Females are maternal mouthbrooders and usually remain solitary while incubating, hiding among rocks in the intermediate habitat.
Aggression: Highly aggressive toward conspecifics and also toward other species, especially between males defending territories.
Special notes: Several populations formerly treated as separate, undescribed taxa— Metriaclima sp. ‘black dorsal chiloelo’, Metriaclima sp. ‘black dorsal nkhungu’, Metriaclima sp. ‘black dorsal nkolongwe’, and Metriaclima sp. ‘black dorsal thundu’—are now regarded as geographical variants of a single species, Maylandia nigrodorsalis. Morphological analyses failed to support species-level separation, and differences among populations are interpreted as geographic color variation rather than distinct species.

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Photo: © Ad Konings
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