All fish / Cichlidae

Pindani

Chindongo socolofi

Also known as socolofi, powder blue cichlid, pindani cichlid, pseudotropheus socolofi, albino socolofi, snow white socolofi, powder blue mbuna, socolofi mbuna, ปลาหมอสีโซโคโลฟี, プセウドトロフェウス・ソコロフィ, 粉蓝鲷, 雪花蓝鲷

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A compact mbuna with a pale powder blue body and black edging on the dorsal and anal fins, with males showing yellow egg spots. It is popular because it is one of the milder, smaller mbuna and stays colourful in both sexes, with an albino form also widely sold.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7.5 to 8.5

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

One male with 3 or more females in a crowded mbuna community

Diet

Herbivore: spirulina flakes and pellets, algae, blanched vegetables, occasional small crustaceans

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

6 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Mozambique coast), East Africa

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder; the female holds the eggs and fry for around three weeks after spawning on a flat rock. It breeds readily in a well kept mbuna tank and is easy to raise.

Good to know

Although calmer than many mbuna it is still territorial, so keep it in hard alkaline water with plenty of rockwork and avoid mixing with peaceful soft water fish. Avoid meaty diets, which can trigger Malawi bloat, and do not house with similar blue mbuna to prevent hybridisation.