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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Maylandia pyrsonotos 'Nakantenga Island'.jpg Maylandia pyrsonotos 'Nkhudzi'.jpg Maylandia pyrsonotos X Maylandia zebra 'Makanjila Rocks'.jpg
Previous page<font color=red>Maylandia pyrsonotos X Maylandia zebra 'Makanjila Rocks'</font>
Genus: Maylandia
Type locality: Nankantenga Island (Maleri Island), Lake Malawi, Malawi
Biotope: Rocky habitat. The species is strictly associated with rocks, usually occupying large rocky structures and crevices, generally not occurring shallower than about 5 m and extending down to approximately 20 m depth.
Geographic distribution: Southern part of Lake Malawi, where it occurs at Nakantenga Island, Nankoma Island, Kanchedza Island, Nkhudzi, Mphande Island and Chimwalani Reef. Populations formerly known as Maylandia thapsinogen (Chimwalani Reef) and Maylandia sandaracinos (Nkhudzi and Mphande Island) are now regarded as junior synonyms of Maylandia pyrsonotos.
Typical adult size: In the wild, males reach about 10 cm total length and females about 8 cm. In aquarium conditions, both sexes may grow considerably larger, commonly reaching 13–15 cm.
Sexual dimorphism: Males are blue with distinct black vertical bars and a yellow to orange dorsal fin, while females are light brown to greyish with faint bars and a yellowish dorsal fin. In some populations, males may also show a yellow throat.
Recommended aquarium size: At least 400 liters for a community aquarium; smaller setups are only suitable for a single male with several females.
Aquarium setup: An aquarium with a high number of rocks and shelters is required. Territories are centered around caves or rock crevices used for spawning. Stocking is best based on one male with at least three to four females to limit aggression.
Diet: Herbivorous, feeding mainly on Aufwuchs scraped from rocky substrates, consisting largely of algae, diatoms and associated material. In the wild, plankton may also form a significant part of the diet.
Breeding: Maternal mouthbrooder. Breeding males defend territories centered around caves among rocks. Spawning takes place inside the male’s territory, after which the female incubates the eggs in her mouth for approximately three to three and a half weeks before releasing the free-swimming fry.
Aggression: Aggressive toward conspecifics, especially between males, but generally tolerant toward other mbuna species when adequate space and structure are provided.
Special notes: This species belongs to the group commonly referred to as red-top zebras and is closely related to several taxa that were previously regarded as distinct species. Genetic and morphological studies have shown that populations once described as Maylandia thapsinogen and Maylandia sandaracinos represent the same species and are now treated as junior synonyms of Maylandia pyrsonotos. A similar-looking population at Makanjila Rocks was shown by DNA analysis to be a natural hybrid between Maylandia zebra males from north of Makanjila Point and Maylandia pyrsonotos females from Chimwalani Reef.

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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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