Saulosi mbuna
Chindongo saulosi
Also known as Pseudotropheus saulosi
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 73–81°F
- 23–27°C
- pH
- 7.5–8.5
- Adult size
- 3.9 in
- 10 cm
- Minimum tank
- 42 gal
- 160 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Mouthbrooder · Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Lake Malawi
Overview
The Saulosi mbuna is a mostly peaceful mbuna for a rocky Lake Malawi tank. It is easy to keep.
Did you know
All Saulosi mbuna juveniles start out yellow like the females. Only as a male matures and gains rank does he switch to the blue, barred coloration. In a healthy group you usually see just a few blue males among many yellow fish.
Caring for the Saulosi mbuna
Give Saulosi mbuna at least 42 gal (160 L), with plenty of rockwork built into caves and ledges. Leave open sand between the rocks, which gives them room to forage and spreads out territorial pressure. They work the rocks and the middle of the tank.
Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 73 to 81°F (23 to 27°C) and a pH of 7.5 to 8.5. Feed a vegetable-heavy diet of spirulina flake or pellets with a quality cichlid food. Go easy on protein to avoid digestive trouble.
Keep a group with several females per male to spread out aggression. Saulosi mbuna are mostly peaceful for mbuna but still territorial. Dominant males turn bright blue with dark vertical bars, while females and subordinate males stay yellow. Females are maternal mouthbrooders, and breeding them is hard.
Good to know
The Saulosi mbuna, Chindongo saulosi, is a mbuna cichlid in the family Cichlidae, also listed as Pseudotropheus saulosi. Its natural range is very limited, and collection has put pressure on it. It is treated as a conservation concern and is now widely captive-bred.
In the wild
Saulosi mbuna are endemic to a small area of Lake Malawi, mainly around Taiwan Reef. They live over rocky reefs in fairly shallow water, grazing algae off the stones and using the rocks for shelter and territory. The lake is hard and alkaline.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Saulosi mbuna 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 Saulosi mbuna need?
A Saulosi mbuna needs at least 42 gal (160 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does a Saulosi mbuna need?
A Saulosi mbuna is comfortable at 73–81°F (23–27°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.
What does a Saulosi mbuna eat?
A Saulosi mbuna eats a vegetable-heavy diet of spirulina flake or pellets with a quality cichlid food. Go easy on protein, which can cause digestive trouble.
How big does a Saulosi mbuna get?
An adult Saulosi mbuna reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).
How can you tell a male Saulosi mbuna from a female?
Dominant males are bright blue with dark vertical bars. Females stay yellow, and so do subordinate males.
How does a Saulosi mbuna breed?
Saulosi mbuna females are maternal mouthbrooders. Breeding them is hard.
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