All fish / Cichlidae

Minutus Mbuna

Pseudotropheus minutus

Also known as pseudotropheus minutus, dwarf mbuna, minutus cichlid, maylandia minutus

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A small mbuna from Lake Malawi's rocky shores, males show pale blue bodies with dark vertical bars and dark fins, while females are duller. It is kept by people who want an mbuna that stays small and is less boisterous than most of its relatives.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

7 cm

Temperature

24 to 27 °C

pH

7.6 to 8.6

Smallest tank

150 litres

Keep as

One male with several females, in a well stocked mbuna tank

Diet

Omnivore: mainly algae grazing; spirulina flakes and pellets, vegetable-based foods, occasional small crustaceans

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

5 to 8 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania); known from the Tanzanian and Mozambique coasts and Likoma area

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder: the female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth for about three weeks. Breeding is fairly easy in a mature tank with plenty of rockwork and several females per male.

Good to know

Males remain territorial and can be bullied by larger mbuna, so keep with similarly sized, mild species. Avoid high protein diets, which can trigger Malawi bloat.