Malawi blue dolphin

The Malawi blue dolphin is a large, powder-blue haplochromine cichlid from the sandy and intermediate zones of Lake Malawi, named for the pronounced nuchal hump that develops on dominant males. In nature it shadows sand-sifting cichlids, snapping up invertebrates disturbed from the substrate, so it is essentially a carnivore that should be fed quality pellets, frozen mysis, and brine shrimp while avoiding overly rich or mammalian foods. It is relatively peaceful for its size but needs space; keep one male with several females in a spacious tank with a deep sand bed, some rockwork, and open swimming areas. Provide hard, alkaline, stable water and strong filtration for the substantial bioload. A maternal mouthbrooder, it grows slowly to around twenty centimetres and suits large Malawi haplochromine communities rather than aggressive mbuna setups.