LAKE MALAWI CICHLIDS.
Order Perciformes ( Perciformes )
Family Cichlidae ( Cichlidae )
Subfamily ( Pseudocrenilabrinae )
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Genus Maylandia — Maylandia.
— Maylandia fainzilberi [Staeck, 1976] — Fainzilber’s Cichlid, or False Zebra. Synonym: Metriaclima, Pseudotropheus fainzilberi. Lake Malawi – pebble and sandy biotopes. 13 cm, in aquarium 8-15 cm. High body of the male from light blue to bluish-lilac with 6-8 dark brown to black transverse stripes, the color intensity of which fades towards the rear of the body. A black stripe runs between the eyes. In elite specimens, the belly, cheeks, and chest can range from beige-orange to lemon-yellow.
Anal fin bluish with 4-6 light yellow egg spots with a black rim. Tips of the dorsal fin with orange spots. Currently, several dozen geographic variants of Metriaclima fainzilberi are known, including several color varieties (morphs), mostly spotted (OB-Morphe) morphs. In males of many varieties, the throat and chest are colored golden-yellow.
Juveniles and females look simpler, the sandy-yellow body is covered with a web of transverse strokes. Juveniles of the spotted morph are initially colored like the classic form of these cichlids, dark spots begin to appear only at the age of 2-3 months. The albino form of the pseudotropheus differs from the nominative species by a white body with a slight cream tint and red eyes characteristic of albinos.
Feel comfortable in an aquarium with loose substrate, an abundance of multi-level stone structures and plenty of shelters in the form of stone terraces, driftwood, multi-stage structures made of plastic or ceramic pipes. 1 male and several females can be kept in a common aquarium with peaceful cichlids. Males are territorial and very aggressive. Fish keep in the lower and middle layers of water.
Aeration, filtration, and replacement of a quarter of the water volume are necessary. Main food is plant-based, additional is animal-based. Prone to obesity on too high-calorie foods. Mature at 8-10 months at a length of 8 cm. Spawning is in pairs. Males are polygamous. Females incubate eggs in their mouths and hide among rocks. Live up to 8 years. T 22-26°C; dH 8-25°; pH 7.0-9.0.
— Maylandia greshakei [Meyer & Foerster, 1984] — Greshake’s Mbuna, Ice Blue Zebra. Synonym: Metriaclima, Pseudotropheus greshakei. (English: Ice Blue Red Top Zebra, Greshakei Zebra, William’s Mbuna). Lake Malawi in the rocky zone. Mbuna group. Males 13 cm, females up to 11 cm. The male has a light blue body with 8-9 faintly visible vertical stripes and reddish-orange dorsal and caudal fins. Anal fin light blue with yellow egg spots. Ventral fins are transparent.
Females are colored more modestly and have a gray-blue, brownish-orange body, fins are light brown. The melanin pattern on the body consists of ordered spots or jagged lines instead of contrasting vertical stripes. The male during spawning becomes almost white with a blue tint. The species has an albino form.
Keeping with other medium-sized Mbuna representatives is possible. Moderately aggressive cichlid species. To reduce mutual aggression, it is desirable that neighbors are colored in a different color scheme. The dominant male defends the territory mostly against cichlids of its own species. Must be kept in a harem of 1 male to 3-4 females. Aquarium with a sufficient amount of rocks and caves. Substrate is sand, fish gladly dig in it.
Omnivorous, must be fed in small amounts several times a day. A significant part of the diet should include plant matter. Easily gain excess weight. Sexual maturity occurs at 8-12 months. Spawning is in pairs, in a pit dug by the male or on a flat stone. The female incubates eggs in her mouth. Live up to 10 years. pH 7.5-8.5; dH 10-20°; T 25°C.
Identification: Maylandia greshakei.
— Maylandia hajomaylandi [Meyer & Schartl, 1984] — Maylandia hajomaylandi. Synonym: Metriaclima, Pseudotropheus hajomaylandi. 14 cm, females are smaller. The body of the males is colored blue, the head and front of the belly are yellow-orange, in other populations the belly and lower part of the head are yellow, with 9-10 dark vertical stripes on a whitish-blue body. Ventral fins are orange.
In males of some populations, black spots are present on the dorsal fin. Yellow egg spots are on the anal fin. Females have a brown-beige color. The fins of the females are colored yellowish, and females of all populations of this species lack the black stripe on the dorsal fin. Males are bright, colorful, and females are gray with dark vertical stripes.
Territorial. It is advisable to have several females per one male. Males will fight if there is not enough territory. Large flat stones in the form of pyramids are placed along the back and side walls, creating many caves connected by passageways. These shelters are necessary for the fish, as they like to spend part of their time in the cave. Due to the large number of stones, the fish do not dig pits even during spawning, but lay eggs directly on the stones. In the same stones after spawning, the female with eggs in her mouth can easily hide from the ongoing courtship of the male.
— Maylandia lanisticola [Burgess, 1976] — Shell-dwelling Pseudotropheus. Synonym: Metriaclima, Pseudotropheus lanisticola. Lake Malawi, sandy zone. 7 cm. Main coloration is gray-blue to violet, with 5-6 broad, often faintly visible transverse stripes on the side. Caudal fin rusty-orange with blue stripes. Dorsal fin rays white to white-blue, interradial tissue light brown to black-blue. Dorsal fin with an orange margin.
Adult males are gray-yellow to orange with a bluish hue. The male has a rich yellow throat and chest. On the anal fin 1-2 egg-like spots of orange color. The female is less contrastingly colored, unpaired fins are yellowish, somewhat smaller. Juveniles are silver-olive with 5-6 wide coffee transverse stripes.
Should be kept in a group with a predominance of females. Keep in the middle and lower layers of water. Fish are quite peaceful. In nature, they settle in empty shells of gastropod mollusks. Provide several large snail shells for each fish. Territorial fish that will guard their shell against intruders.
Aquarium with a sandy substrate, structures of flat stones laid on top of each other with crevices and caves, as well as separate flat stones. Plants with large leaves can be planted. Do not harm plants. Mature at 8-9 months. Live up to 5 years. pH 7.5-8.8; dH 12-25°; T 23-26°C.
Maylandia livingstonii, Maylandia lombardoi, Maylandia pyrsonotos.
Maylandia chrysomallos, crabro, cyaneusmarginata, estherae. 
