Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

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Maylandia sp. 'msobo heteropictus' Lundo Island.jpg

Maylandia sp. 'msobo heteropictus' Ndonga.jpg

Maylandia sp. 'msobo heteropictus' Thumbi Point.jpg

Maylandia sp. 'msobo heteropictus' Thumbi Reef.jpg

Maylandia sp. 'msobo heteropictus' Thumbi Point<br><font color=gray>Metriaclima sp. 'msobo heteropictus' Thumbi Point</font>

Tribe / Genus:	Maylandia
Biotope:	Rocky habitat at depths ranging between 7 and 25 meters.
Geographic distribution:	Lake Malawi (Tanzania and Mozambique): found between Njambe and Lundo Island, with additional records from Higga Reef south of Lundo Island.
Typical adult size:	Males up to about 12 cm total length; females up to about 10 cm.
Sexual dimorphism:	Males are blue with a highly variable pattern of vertical bars that do not extend over the entire flank, leaving the upper body light blue. Females are white-yellow with a yellow anal fin.
Recommended aquarium size:	350 L, with a minimum aquarium length of 150 cm.
Aquarium setup:	Provide abundant rockwork with many hiding places. One male should be kept with 3–4 females, or maintained in groups such as 3 males with 7 females. It is recommended to house them together with other algivorous mbuna.
Diet:	Herbivorous algivore. Feeds primarily by combing algae from rocks (aufwuchs), while females also consume plankton.
Breeding:	Breeding behavior follows the typical Maylandia pattern, with males defending territories on rocky substrates used as spawning sites.
Aggression:	Aggressive within the species, generally tolerant toward other species.
Special notes:	This species belongs to the black-dorsal group and was previously associated with the so-called “Msobo Trio”. Its distribution is separated from that of Maylandia sp. ‘msobo’ by sandy shores that act as a natural barrier, and no intermediate forms between the two have been found. Although some aspects of male coloration suggest a possible relationship to Melanochromis, the feeding technique is unmistakably that of Maylandia, combing algae tightly from the rock surface.