All fish / Cichlidae

Saulosi Cichlid

Chindongo saulosi

Also known as saulosi, pseudotropheus saulosi, saulosi mbuna, taiwan reef saulosi, yellow saulosi, blue saulosi, sauosi, シュードトロフェウス・サウロシ, 蓝黄斑马

A small mbuna from Lake Malawi showing strong colour differences between the sexes. Dominant males are bright blue with dark vertical bars, while females and juveniles are vivid yellow. Its modest size and striking colours make it one of the most popular dwarf mbuna for rocky Malawi set-ups.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

8 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7.6 to 8.6

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

One male with 4 or more females, or a large group overstocked with females

Diet

Herbivore: algae-based flakes and pellets, spirulina, blanched vegetables, little protein

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Taiwan Reef, Malawi), endemic

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder; the female carries eggs and fry for about three to four weeks before releasing them. It breeds readily in a well-kept tank with plenty of females, though fry need cover or a separate tank to survive.

Good to know

Males are territorial and harsh towards each other and similar-looking fish, so keep females in the majority and provide lots of rockwork. Its natural range is a single small reef, so it is vulnerable in the wild; avoid hybridising it with other yellow or blue mbuna.