Powder Blue Cichlid
Chindongo socolofi
Cichlidae
About
The powder blue cichlid is a striking pale-blue mbuna from the rocky Mozambican shoreline of Lake Malawi, where it grazes the algal biocover on rock and sand. Reaching around 11 cm, it is one of the more even-tempered mbuna yet remains territorial, so it belongs in a spacious, hard, alkaline Rift Lake tank arranged with plenty of rock and open sand, kept as a harem of one male to several females.
Care
Keep in hard, alkaline water (pH 8.0-8.5) over sand with generous rockwork in a tank of 200 L or more. House as a harem of one male to at least three females to spread aggression, and pair only with robust Malawi mbuna; not a community fish.
Diet
Herbivorous aufwuchs grazer; feed spirulina- and vegetable-based foods with blanched greens. Strictly limit protein-rich foods to prevent Malawi bloat.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (77)
Avoid (44)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.