Lake Malawi cichlids — species, locations & maps

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Maylandia usisyae 'Mara Rocks'<br><font color=gray>Metriaclima usisyae 'Mara Rocks'</font>

Genus:	Maylandia
Type locality:	Usisya, Lake Malawi, Malawi
Biotope:	Intermediate habitat consisting of mixed rock and sand, forming a transition zone between rocky and sandy lake floor. The species inhabits depths of approximately 7–15 meters and feeds mainly from sediment-free rock surfaces, including vertical faces and undersides of large rocks.
Geographic distribution:	Lake Malawi, known from Tchinga Reef near Usisya and from Mara Rocks, Malawi.
Typical adult size:	In the wild up to about 10 cm total length. In aquaria males may reach at least 14 cm, while females remain approximately 1-2 cm smaller.
Sexual dimorphism:	Sexes differ clearly in coloration. Sexually active males are yellow to mustard-colored with faint light brown to bluish bars and two light blue to white interorbital bars. Females have a dull brown ground color with two to three faint dark brown bars and lack the bright coloration of males.
Recommended aquarium size:	At least 300 liters, with a minimum aquarium length of 120 cm.
Aquarium setup:	Provide plenty of rocks with numerous hiding places and caves. A fine-grained sand substrate is preferred to allow males to excavate burrows. One male should be kept with several females, or groups may be maintained in sufficiently large aquaria.
Diet:	Primarily herbivorous, feeding from the aufwuchs by combing diatoms and loose strands of cyanobacteria from the algal matrix. Plankton is also consumed, sometimes in significant quantities.
Breeding:	Males in breeding coloration defend territories centered around burrows dug under rocks or caves between rocks. Spawning takes place inside the male’s shelter. Females are maternal mouthbrooders, carrying relatively small broods of about 10–30 eggs and releasing the juveniles after approximately three to three and a half weeks.
Aggression:	Generally peaceful toward other species and relatively calm within the species. Aggression increases during spawning, mainly between males.
Special notes:	This species was previously known as Metriaclima sp. ‘elongatus usisya’ and is characterized by its elongate body and specialized feeding mechanism, allowing it to comb loose material from the aufwuchs without tearing algae from the substrate. Although locally common, its known distribution is limited to only two localities, which may make it vulnerable to habitat disturbance.