All fish / Cichlidae

Purple Mbuna

Pseudotropheus purpuratus

Also known as purple mbuna, pseudotropheus vuwa, pseudotropheus sp. elongatus mbamba, mbamba bay elongatus, pseudotropheus purpuratus mara rocks, 紫色姆布纳

No free-to-use photo of this fish yet. Took one yourself? Send it to us and we will credit you.

A slender rock-dwelling mbuna from Lake Malawi in which males show a deep purple-blue body with darker vertical bars. It is kept for its unusual colouring and lively behaviour in rocky African cichlid setups.

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

300 litres

Keep as

One male with several females in a crowded mbuna tank

Diet

Omnivore: mostly plant-based, spirulina flakes and pellets, algae and some small crustaceans

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

6 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Mozambique and Tanzanian shores), 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 mbuna tank with plenty of rockwork.

Good to know

Males are very territorial and hostile to similar-looking fish, so provide lots of rock caves and avoid pairing with other elongate barred mbuna. Feed a low-protein diet to prevent Malawi bloat.