All fish / Cichlidae

Pseudotropheus perspicax

Maylandia perspicax

Also known as metriaclima perspicax, pseudotropheus ornatus, maylandia ornatus, red top ndumbi, ndumbi mbuna, pseudotropheus red top ndumbi, perspicax mbuna

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This is a small mbuna from the rocky shores of Lake Malawi. Males are pale blue with dark vertical bars and an orange to reddish dorsal fin edge, while females are duller brownish. Keepers like it for its bright colour and lively behaviour, and it stays smaller than many relatives.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

9 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7.6 to 8.6

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

One male with 3 or more females, in a well stocked mbuna tank

Diet

Herbivore: algae-based flakes and pellets, spirulina, blanched greens, occasional small crustaceans

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

6 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania)

Breeding

It is a maternal mouthbrooder. The female holds the eggs and fry in her mouth for about three weeks, and spawning happens readily in a well kept mbuna tank.

Good to know

Males are territorial and can be harsh on rivals, so give plenty of rockwork and avoid crowding with lookalike Maylandia species, which can hybridise. It is often sold under older names such as Pseudotropheus or Metriaclima.