Chisumulu Cichlid

Labidochromis chisumulae is a small, comparatively peaceful mbuna endemic to the rocky waters around Chizumulu Island in Lake Malawi. Males are pale blue with dark vertical barring, females plainer and silvery. Reaching only about 8 cm, it is one of the milder rock-dwellers, though still territorial when breeding. Keep it in hard, alkaline water at pH 7.6-8.6 and around 25 C, in a well-structured tank with plentiful rock caves. A single male with two or three females works well, and it can share space with other small, moderate mbuna. In nature it picks micro-invertebrates from the biocover, so offer a varied diet of quality flakes, small frozen foods and some algae. Good filtration and stable parameters keep this attractive species healthy.