All fish / Cichlidae

Trewavas mbuna

Labeotropheus trewavasae

Also known as trewavas cichlid, red top trewavasae, scrapermouth mbuna, labeotropheus trewavasae, red fin trewavasae, thumbi west trewavasae, marmalade cat trewavasae, ラベオトロフェウス・トレワバサエ, 屈氏拉利毛

A slim rock-dwelling Lake Malawi cichlid with an overhanging snout and a downturned mouth for scraping algae off stones. Males are usually bright blue with a red or orange dorsal fin, while females are often mottled orange or brownish, and many regional colour forms are kept.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

12 cm

Temperature

23 to 27 °C

pH

7.5 to 8.6

Smallest tank

250 litres

Keep as

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

Diet

Herbivore: spirulina flakes and pellets, algae, blanched greens, with few protein foods

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania)

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder; the female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth for about three weeks. It breeds readily in a well-fed, rocky aquarium with several females per male.

Good to know

Males are highly territorial and will harass other mbuna and females, so give plenty of rockwork and avoid similar-looking species. Protein-rich diets can cause Malawi bloat.