Mloto utaka

Care at a glance

Overview

The mloto utaka is an open-water cichlid from Lake Malawi and a social fish, so keep it in a group, typically one colorful male with several silver females. It swims in the middle and upper water rather than hugging rock, and it is fairly peaceful, mixing well with other calm Malawi cichlids of similar size. Avoid rowdy mbuna that will harass it. Feed small foods that suit a plankton eater, such as fine flakes, cyclops, and frozen daphnia or brine shrimp. Give it a tank of at least 300 liters with open swimming space down the middle and rockwork banked along the sides.

In the wild

Copadichromis trewavasae is endemic to Lake Malawi, where these utaka hang in open water over sediment-covered rock and feed on drifting plankton. The lake is warm, hard and alkaline, so aim for a temperature range of 24–27 C and a pH of 7.5–8.5, with good mineral hardness. A sandy floor with rocks stacked along the back and sides leaves the central water column clear, which is where these fish spend their time.

Good to know

Copadichromis trewavasae belongs to the cichlid family and reaches about 13 centimeters, with males far more colorful than the plain females. It is one of the utaka, the open-water plankton feeders of Lake Malawi, and like other Copadichromis it is a maternal mouthbrooder: the female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth. The species honors Ethelwynn Trewavas, the ichthyologist whose work runs through the cichlids of both Malawi and Tanganyika.

Did you know

Utaka is the local name for these open-water Copadichromis, which gather in large shoals over the lake and are netted in quantity as a food fish, one of the few Malawi cichlids caught for the pot rather than the aquarium.

Tank mates

Mloto utaka is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.

• Red shoulder peacock

  Aulonocara hansbaenschi

  Freshwater

  4.1 in (10.5 cm)63 gal (240 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Pale usisya aulonocara

  Aulonocara steveni

  Freshwater

  5.5 in (14 cm)63 gal (240 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Blue dolphin cichlid

  Cyrtocara moorii

  Freshwater

  9.8 in (25 cm)66 gal (250 L)77–84°F (25–29°C)

• 

  Painted ctenopharynx

  Ctenopharynx pictus

  Freshwater

  4.9 in (12.5 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Deepwater hap

  Placidochromis electra

  Freshwater

  7.1 in (18 cm)66 gal (250 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
• White lethrinops

  Lethrinops albus

  Freshwater

  6.3 in (16 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

Related species

• Likoma utaka

  Copadichromis likomae

  Freshwater

  5.5 in (14 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)

• 

  Azureus

  Copadichromis azureus

  Freshwater

  5.9 in (15 cm)79 gal (300 L)77–82°F (25–28°C)
• Atripinnis hap

  Copadichromis atripinnis

  Freshwater

  5.9 in (15 cm)70 gal (265 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
• Verduyn's utaka

  Copadichromis verduyni

  Freshwater

  4.3 in (11 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
• Chrysonotus utaka

  Copadichromis chrysonotus

  Freshwater

  6.3 in (16 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
• Geert's utaka

  Copadichromis geertsi

  Freshwater

  6.3 in (16 cm)79 gal (300 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)