All fish / Cichlidae

Interruptus mbuna

Pseudotropheus interruptus

Also known as melanochromis interruptus, pseudotropheus elastodema, melanochromis elastodema, interruptus cichlid, chizumulu interruptus, johanni interruptus

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This rock-dwelling mbuna from Lake Malawi has broken dark horizontal stripes, and that is where the name interruptus comes from. Males are dark blue to black with pale blue lines, and females are usually yellow to brownish with darker markings. It is kept for its strong colour difference between the sexes and for its lively behaviour in rocky Malawi set-ups.

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

250 litres

Keep as

One male with several females, best in a crowded mbuna community

Diet

Omnivore: mainly plant-based foods such as spirulina flakes and pellets, plus some small invertebrates

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

6 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania), around Likoma, Chizumulu and nearby rocky coasts

Breeding

It is a maternal mouthbrooder. The female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth for about three weeks. Breeding is easy in a well-kept mbuna tank with plenty of females.

Good to know

Males are territorial and harass rivals and females, so keep one male with several females in a large rockwork tank. It can hybridise with Melanochromis and other Pseudotropheus species, and the IUCN lists it as Near Threatened.