(Please note that the fish shown in the photo is only a representative of what an adult specimen would look like. The color may vary based on the age and sex of the fish you receive.)
Scientific Name: Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos
Common Name: Maingano Cichlid, Electric Blue Cichlid
Adult Size: 4 inches
Life Expectancy: 10 years
Habitat: Lake Malawi, Africa
Minimum Tank Size: 70 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
- Temperature Range: 78°F
- pH Range: 7.0 - 8.0
- Hardness Range: 10 - 15
Temperament: Aggressive
Diet & Nutrition: Carnivore, requires a lot of protein to function. Frozen or live food like bloodworms is ideal, but they can handle pellets or flakes formulated for their palate.
Breeding & Spawning: The female lays eggs (between 20 and 50) on a flat surface and waits for a male to fertilize them. Since they are a “mouth breeder” species, the female will incubate the fertilized eggs in her mouth until they’re ready to hatch.
Gender: Difficult to sex as both males and females share the same color and pattern. However, mature males are often larger and may be slightly more intensely colored.
Buy Ten 2" African Cichlids, Get Two FREE!
Add any ten 2" African Cichlids to your cart, and you can select your 2 FREE fish right from the sliding window at the top of the cart page. There is no limit on this offer!
(Special Note: 2" Frontosa and Duboisi qualify towards your 10 purchased fish, but are not available as free gifts).
Buy Eight 3" African Cichlids, Get Two FREE!
Prefer to start a bit larger? Add any eight 3" African Cichlids to your cart, and choose your 2 FREE fish from the sliding window on the cart page. There is no limit on this offer!
(Special Note: 3" Demasoni, Frontosa, and Turkana Jewel qualify towards your 8 purchased fish, but are not available as free gifts).
Freshwater Compatibility Chart
