All fish / Cichlidae

Pseudotropheus brevis

Tropheops brevis

Also known as tropheops brevis, pseudotropheus brevis, brevis mbuna, tropheops sp. brevis

A short-snouted mbuna from Lake Malawi's rocky shores. Males show blue to dark bodies with faint bars and yellowish tones, while females are duller brown or grey. Keepers like it as a lively, colourful algae grazer for rock-built Malawi tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

11 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 busy mbuna community

Diet

Herbivore: algae-based flakes and pellets, spirulina, blanched vegetables, with only small amounts of protein

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

6 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania)

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder: the female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth for about three weeks. It breeds readily in a well-fed mbuna tank, and the female can be moved to a separate tank to release the fry.

Good to know

Males are territorial and can be harsh on similar-looking mbuna, so stock a crowded tank with plenty of rockwork and avoid putting it with peaceful fish. Many fish sold under this name were moved to Tropheops by later work, and it is easily confused with other Tropheops species and locality forms.