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| Genus: | Hemitilapia |
| Type locality: | Lake Malawi, Africa. |
| Biotope: | Shallow sandy bays and shoreline areas densely covered with emergent vegetation and submerged Vallisneria beds. |
| Geographic distribution: | Lake Malawi (Malawi Lake), East Africa. |
| Typical adult size: | Males up to 22 cm, females slightly smaller (around 18 cm). |
| Sexual dimorphism: | Males are larger and show a light blue body with a metallic blue head, yellow–orange scale margins and pointed dorsal and anal fins. Females are smaller, silvery-grey with rounded fins. |
| Recommended aquarium size: | At least 600 litres; minimum tank length 150 cm. |
| Aquarium setup: | Fine sand substrate with large, robust aquatic plants (especially Vallisneria). Some rock slabs for shelter and retreat. |
| Diet: | Herbivorous. Specialised grazer feeding almost exclusively on algae and aufwuchs growing on aquatic plants. |
| Breeding: | Maternal mouthbrooder. Eggs are laid on sand or flat stones, fertilised by the male and then taken into the female’s mouth. Incubation lasts about three weeks at ~26 °C. |
| Aggression: | Peaceful within the species and towards other fishes. Best kept in groups rather than pairs. |
| Special notes: | The only Malawi cichlid known to feed exclusively on the aufwuchs of submerged plants, earning it the nickname “Vallisneria grazer”. |
