Trewavas's Mbuna

Labeotropheus trewavasae is a slender, elongated mbuna from the rocky littoral of Lake Malawi, sharing the genus's distinctive downturned rasping mouth. Males are typically blue with a red or orange dorsal fin, while females often display an orange-blotched pattern. It thrives in hard, alkaline water at pH 7.6-8.6 and temperatures around 25 C. This is an active, aggressive rock grazer best housed one male to several females in a spacious aquarium built up with rockwork and open swimming lanes. Keep only with other assertive mbuna of similar size. Feed a vegetable-based diet of spirulina and algae preparations; excess animal protein readily triggers bloat. Stable water chemistry, strong filtration and abundant caves are essential to reduce stress and territorial fatalities.