LAKE MALAWI CICHLIDS.
Order Perciformes
Family Cichlidae
Subfamily ( Pseudocrenilabrinae )
Genus Naevochromis.
— Naevochromis chrysogaster [Trewavas, 1935]. Lake Malawi. 22 cm. Utaka group cichlids. A distinctive feature of this cichlid is its unique coloration consisting of three black pigment spots. Another distinctive feature of this genus is a growth on the front part of the lower jaw.
Genus Nyassachromis.
Endemics of Lake Malawi. The genus includes elongated species characterized by a small head, a small mouth, and a long, tapering tail base. The melanin pattern is poorly distinguishable. The spawning coloration of males is usually greenish or bluish, sometimes with intense yellow pigment. Females are generally silvery-gray. During the spawning period, males build nests of sand, which serve as the center of their spawning territory.
— Nyassachromis boadzulu [Iles, 1960] — Boadzulu Cichlid. Synonyms: Cyrtocara, Haplochromis, Copadichromis boadzulu. A narrow-range species forming a local population in Lake Malawi near the rocks of Boadzulu Island. Up to 15 cm, in aquarium 10-20 cm. The male is wine-red with numerous blue-violet sparkles, gill covers are greenish-turquoise. In an active male, the head and nape area are metallic blue. Each scale of the posterior half of the body has an orange spot, making the fish glow with fire under appropriate lighting. Fins are gray-blue, dorsal fin with a whitish longitudinal stripe and an orange margin. The male displays his attire by spreading his fins dotted with red spots imitating eggs.
Females are slightly smaller, silvery-pink with two longitudinal black stripes, fins are pinkish. During spawning, the female’s stripes change to a transverse dotted line, and the body color resembles an old tarnished mirror. The main body color of juveniles is silvery-white. Of the 2 black longitudinal stripes, the upper one runs almost parallel to the lateral line up to the end of the dorsal fin, while the lower one runs along the middle of the body from the rear edge of the gill cover to the caudal peduncle.
In the aquarium, you should imitate a rocky landscape with stone structures reaching the water surface, and caves along their entire height. Shelters with narrow passages, just large enough for a fish to pass through, are desirable. The male controls a zone from which all other species are expelled. Large-leaved plants with a powerful root system can be planted; stem plants are only suitable as a possible, but not mandatory, vegetable supplement. The fish are peaceful, can be kept in a general aquarium with proportional and non-aggressive neighbors. They occupy the lower water layers. The water must be clean, free from mechanical suspended matter, containing a minimal amount of dissolved organics, with a neutral or slightly alkaline active reaction. Aeration, filtration, and water changes are necessary.
The diet should consist of 80% animal and 20% plant components. The basis of nutrition is live and frozen bloodworms, large crustaceans (Daphnia, adult Artemia), scraped meat, seafood. The species is prone to toxicosis, especially food-related (be especially careful when feeding tubifex worms). They mature at 10-14 months at a length of 7-10 cm. Fish spawn equally successfully in both a general and a separate tank. Spawning is in pairs. The male does not prepare a special spawning site. The female lays eggs in 2-3 places of the selected aquarium area. The female incubates eggs in her mouth. pH 7.2-8.5; dH 5-20°; T 24-28°C.
— Nyassachromis microcephalus [Trewavas, 1935]. Male 17 cm, female 13 cm. Very beautiful coloration – bright yellow with a blue tint. Head is metallic blue. Compatible with any other lake African cichlids of similar size and temperament. Multi-level rocky structures, heaps of boulders, smooth stones, and driftwood are used when arranging the aquarium.
— Nyassachromis prostoma [Trewavas, 1935]. Synonym: Copadichromis prostoma. 12 cm. Body is light blue with metallic reflections and scattered yellow dots. Females and juveniles are beige with a black horizontal line. Large flat stones in the form of pyramids are placed along the back and side walls, creating many interconnected caves. These shelters are necessary for the fish as they like to spend part of their time in a 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 these same stones after spawning, the female with eggs in her mouth can easily hide from the male’s ongoing courtship.
Nimbochromis fuscotaeniatus, Nimbochromis livingstonii.
Melanochromis johannii, perileucos, simulans, vermivorus. 
