All fish / Cichlidae

Purple Mbuna

Melanochromis vermivorus

Also known as purple mbuna, vermivorus cichlid, melanochromis vermivorous, purple melanochromis

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A slim mbuna from Lake Malawi in which males are dark blue to purplish black with pale blue horizontal stripes, while females are yellowish brown with dark stripes. It is kept for its strong colour and lively behaviour in rock-filled African cichlid tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

10 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 crowded mbuna community

Diet

Omnivore: algae-based flakes and pellets with small invertebrates such as mysis and brine shrimp; avoid too much rich protein

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

6 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania), rocky shores of the southern lake

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder: the female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth for about three weeks before releasing them. It breeds readily in captivity if kept in a harem with plenty of rockwork.

Good to know

Males are very territorial and can kill rivals or other similarly striped mbuna, so avoid pairing with close relatives such as Melanochromis auratus, which can also hybridise with it. Keep in hard, alkaline water and do not mix with soft-water community fish.