Elongate mbuna

Chindongo elongatus

Also known as Pseudotropheus elongatus, Slender mbuna, Elongatus

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–81°F (24–27°C)
pH: 7.8–8.6
Adult size: 5.1 in (13 cm)
Minimum tank: 53 gal (200 L)
Temperament: Aggressive
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Middle
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Easy
Rarity: Common
Origin: Rocky shallows of Lake Malawi in East Africa.
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

Keep one male with several females in a rocky tank of at least 200 liters with hard alkaline water at 24 to 27 C, pH 7.8 to 8.6. It is a feisty mbuna, so give it plenty of caves and pair it only with other assertive rock dwellers. Feed a vegetable based diet of spirulina and algae pellets with light frozen treats. Its slim shape lets it defend narrow crevices as territory.

In the wild

The elongate mbuna is a slim rock dweller from the shallow rocky zones of Lake Malawi. It works its way through cracks and over rock faces grazing algae and small animals. Males are usually dark with bright blue or yellow highlights depending on the local form.

Good to know

Once grouped under Pseudotropheus, this fish became the basis of the genus Chindongo in a 2016 revision of the elongate mbuna. Many geographic variants exist under trade names like Mpanga and Chewere. It is a maternal mouthbrooder like other mbuna.