All fish / Cichlidae

Melanochromis simulans

Melanochromis simulans

Also known as mbuna, simulans mbuna, mbenji melanochromis

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A small rock-dwelling mbuna from Lake Malawi. Males are dark blue to black with pale horizontal stripes, while females are yellowish brown with darker stripes. Keepers of Malawi biotopes like it because it stays smaller than many relatives and adds a less commonly seen species.

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

250 litres

Keep as

One male with several females in a crowded mbuna community

Diet

Omnivore: algae-based flakes and pellets, spirulina, small crustaceans, some vegetable matter

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

6 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Mbenji Islands, Malawi), East Africa

Breeding

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

Good to know

Males are territorial and harsh on similar-looking fish, so avoid mixing with other striped Melanochromis that may hybridise. It is rarely traded and often confused with M. auratus and related species.