CICHLID ELECTRIC BLUE 5-6CM

Electric Blue Cichlid (Sciaenochromis fryeri) is a Lake Malawi haplochromine, not an mbuna. Males are why this fish is kept: a metallic electric-blue body, often with darker vertical bars, yellow-orange eyes, and orange/red on the fins. Colour intensity changes with mood, dominance, and diet. Females stay grey-silver with faint bars and are smaller. Juveniles are all grey; males usually start colouring around 5–7.5 cm. Originate from Lake Malawi. They are maternal mouthbrooders.

TANK SET UP: Length matters more than height — they are active mid-water hunters.

• Sand substrate (they dig)

• Rock piles forming caves and visual breaks, with open swimming lanes in front

• Hard plants only if you insist (Anubias / Java fern on rock); they will uproot or ignore most plants

TANK MATE: Other similarly sized Malawi haps and peacocks with different colours — Nimbochromis venustus, Cyrtocara moorii (Blue Dolphin), Copadichromis / Protomelas, many Aulonocara. Synodontis catfish on the bottom.

IMPORTANT: Males will also spawn with peacock females if given the chance, so watch for hybrids if you care about bloodlines.

FILTRATION: Need a filter turnover rate of 4-10 times the total tank volume per hour, with a slow-to-moderate water current.

MAINTENANCE: Ammonia/nitrite 0 ppm; nitrate kept under ~20 ppm. 25–40% weekly water change.

FEEDING:

• Staple: high-protein African cichlid pellets (krill/fish meal first on the label)

• 2–3 times a week: frozen krill, mysis, brine shrimp, chopped prawn

• Feed small amounts 1–2 times a day.