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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps
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Maylandia sp. 'msobo' Lundu.jpg Maylandia sp. 'msobo' Lutara Reef.jpg Maylandia sp. 'msobo' Magunga.jpg
Next pageMaylandia sp. 'msobo' Lundu<br><font color=gray>Metriaclima sp. 'msobo' Lundu</font>
Tribe / Genus: Maylandia
Biotope: Rocky habitat at depths ranging between 7 and 25 meters.
Geographic distribution: Lake Malawi (Tanzania and Mozambique): found between Cape Kaiser and Lundu, with additional populations recorded at Ngwasi, Magunga Reef, Manda, Pombo Reef, and Lundu.
Typical adult size: Males up to about 12 cm total length; females up to about 10 cm.
Sexual dimorphism: Males are blue to blue-black, showing variable light blue stripes and spots along the base of the dorsal fin and on the upper half of the body. Females are bright orange-yellow across all known populations.
Recommended aquarium size: 350 L, with a minimum aquarium length of 150 cm.
Aquarium setup: Provide extensive 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 feeding by combing algae from rocks (aufwuchs); females also consume plankton.
Aggression: A robust but relatively calm cichlid. Aggression occurs mainly within the species.
Special notes: This species is the northern ecological equivalent of Maylandia sp. ‘msobo heteropictus’, from which it is separated by sandy shores between Njambe and Lundu that act as a distribution barrier. No intermediate forms between the two species have been found. Although some aspects of male coloration suggest possible affinities to Melanochromis, the feeding technique—pressing the lips against the substrate and combing algae from the rock—is unmistakably that of Maylandia.

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Photo: © Ad Konings
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Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps.
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