All fish / Cichlidae

Livingston's cichlid

Nimbochromis livingstonii

Also known as livingstoni, livingstonii, livingstoni cichlid, sleeper cichlid, kalingono, haplochromis livingstonii, livingstons cichlid, リビングストニー, 利文斯通, 睡美人

A large Malawi haplochromine with a blotchy brown and white pattern that looks like a rotting fish, which it uses in the wild to ambush small fish by lying still on the substrate. Breeding males take on a metallic blue sheen on the head and fins. Keepers like it for this odd hunting behaviour and its bold looks in big rift lake setups.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

20 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7.5 to 8.6

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

One male with three or more females

Diet

Carnivore: quality cichlid pellets, krill, shrimp, mysis and chopped fish

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 12 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi and Lake Malombe, upper Shire River (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania)

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder; the female holds eggs and fry in her mouth for about three weeks. It breeds readily in a large tank with several females and plenty of space.

Good to know

Grows large and will eat any fish small enough to swallow, so house it only with similar sized Malawi cichlids in a big tank. Often confused with Nimbochromis venustus and N. polystigma, which have different spotting patterns.