Powder blue cichlid
Chindongo socolofi
Also known as Pseudotropheus socolofi, Pindani, Socolof's cichlid
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–81°F
- 24–27°C
- pH
- 7.6–8.6
- Adult size
- 4.7 in
- 12 cm
- Minimum tank
- 53 gal
- 200 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Middle
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Easy
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Rocky coasts along the eastern shore of Lake Malawi in East Africa.
Overview
The powder blue cichlid is a pale blue mbuna for a rocky, hard-water tank. It is easy to keep.
Caring for the powder blue cichlid
A group of powder blue cichlids does well in a rocky tank of at least 53 gal (200 L). Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 7.6 to 8.6.
In the lake it grazes algae and picks small invertebrates from the rocks. Feed a vegetable-based diet with spirulina and algae wafers, plus occasional frozen foods.
The powder blue cichlid is calmer than most mbuna but still territorial, so give it caves. Its tank mates should be similar-sized rock dwellers. Keep one male with several females to spread out breeding aggression.
Males and females look almost identical, both wearing the same pale blue coat. Breeding them is easy.
Good to know
The powder blue cichlid was long sold as Pseudotropheus socolofi. A 2016 revision of the elongate mbuna group moved it to the genus Chindongo. It is one of the few mbuna where both sexes keep the full color, rather than the males alone. The species is named after the aquarium importer Ross Socolof.
In the wild
The powder blue cichlid lives on the rocky eastern shore of Lake Malawi in East Africa. It stays among the rock piles on the Mozambique side, in fairly shallow water.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The powder blue cichlid is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Common questions
What size tank does a powder blue cichlid need?
A powder blue cichlid needs at least 53 gal (200 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a powder blue cichlid need?
A powder blue cichlid is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 7.6–8.6.
What does a powder blue cichlid eat?
A powder blue cichlid eats a vegetable-based diet with spirulina and algae wafers, plus occasional frozen foods. In the lake it grazes algae and picks small invertebrates from the rocks.
How big does a powder blue cichlid get?
An adult powder blue cichlid reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm).
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