This lovely dwarf mbuna makes a great choice for newcomers to Mbuna due to its temperament, subdued but unique colouration and the fact it can be kept in smaller tanks. Iodotropheus is the only genus of Mbuna which has a very limited distribution within Lake Malawi, with its three (possibly two; the validity of I. declivitas is disputed by some experts) members being restricted to the south eastern arm of the lake. I. sprengerae is sometimes confused with certain populations of the similar looki…

A real bruiser of a cichlid, H. elongatus is not seen for sale very often, and with good reason. Pound for pound it must rank as one of the most aggressive cichlids available in the hobby. It is such an efficient predator that, in some of its native countries, it is used to control populations of Tilapia. As a result it's definitely not recommended for the inexperienced aquarist.

The common name is derived from the row of 5 dark markings that run laterally along the flanks of the fish. I…

This beautiful species is critically endangered in nature but is not that rare in the hobby being quite easily bred.

Many sources refer to it by the invalid scientific name Astatotilapia latifasciata and may also be seen for sale as Haplochromis sp. "zebra obliquidens" or H. obliquidens. Sadly it's thought that the latter fish has never even been exported and is extinct in nature. Furthermore, H. obliquidens is a Victorian species and does not even inhabit the same lake as H. l…

An exceptionally hardy and adaptable species tolerant of a wide range of physiological variables and flexible of diet, factors which have allowed it to become established as an alien species around the globe. Its high reproductive potential and low vulnerability to predation have made it a cause for concern to conservation scientists although as yet there remains no proof of it exerting a negative effect on native fishes in countries outside its natural range.

This species was originally classified in the genus Limnochromis. There are a couple of colour morphs available and these should not be mixed in aquaria, as they may hybridise.
In nature, this fish feeds in a similar way to Geophagus species, in that it will sift sand through its gills to extract invertebrates hidden in the substrate. It is a deep water fish and has been recorded foraging at depths of up to 200 metres. These movements seem to be related to the presence of the plankton on which…

This species is also sold under the vernacular names 'golden Chinese loach' and '12-banded Chinese loach'. Along with S. robusta it's the most commonly-traded member of the genus, and the two are often imported in mixed batches, presumably because they occur and are thus collected together in nature. Like most congeners it has a highly flexible, sinuous body which makes it very interesting to observe.

S. pulchra can be differentiated from…

Described from close to the city of Palembang, therefore presumably the Musi River basin, South Sumatra province, Sumatra, Indonesia, and since recorded from elsewhere on Sumatra plus the Malaysian state of Sarawak and Indonesian province West Kalimantan on Borneo.

F. rostratus was formerly classified as Haplochromis rostratus. When startled, it may bury itself in the substrate. It often displays its natural sand-sifting method of feeding in aquaria, and a substrate of sand is essential as gravel may injure the fish. In nature, it is only the largest dominant males that build nests, whilst the subdominant males and females shoal together. There also exists a feeding relationship between this species and Cyrtocara moorii in the wild, in which shoals of C. m…

May also be seen on sale under the trade names ‘Bala shark’ or ‘tricolor shark minnow’ and perhaps among the most commonly-encountered ornamental fish species. It is unfortunate that the vast majority of those traded are juveniles and tend to come supplied with little to no information provided regarding their potential size and requirements, a fairly ironic situation given the apparently precarious status of wild populations.

Also known as the Tanganyikan Clown, this is one of the so-called Tanganyikan goby cichlids. They occur only in the upper few feet of water around rocky shores, also known as the surge zone, where they scrape algae from the rocks with their specialised teeth. This habitat is typified by breaking waves and strong currents. They have a few adaptations allowing them to inhabit such an environment. The swim bladder is rendered useless to reduce their buoyancy. They also have a longand a laterally co…