Acei Cichlid
Pseudotropheus acei
Cichlidae
About
The acei is a slender, sky-blue mbuna from the sandy, driftwood-strewn shallows of the northern reaches of Lake Malawi, most familiar in the hobby as the bright yellow-tailed form. Unusually for a mbuna it grazes algae and micro-organisms directly off sunken wood, and it ranks among the most peaceable rock-dwelling cichlids of the lake, thriving in sociable groups in hard, alkaline water. Its easy temperament and hardiness make it one of the best mbuna for a first Rift Lake tank.
Care
Keep a group of 5 or more in hard, alkaline water (pH 7.8-8.5) over sand with open swimming space, rockwork and some driftwood in a tank of 200 L or larger. Far calmer than most mbuna, but still needs Malawi tankmates of similar water needs rather than a soft-water community.
Diet
Herbivorous aufwuchs grazer that browses algae off wood and rock; feed spirulina- and vegetable-based foods with blanched greens and strictly limit protein to avoid bloat.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (156)
Avoid (115)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- VentingStrong · only on a mature fish, easiest when she is in breeding condition
The method breeders use when the answer has to be right. Hold the fish upside down in a wet hand or soft net and look at the two openings ahead of the anal fin. The forward one is the anus; the one behind it is what you are reading.
- Egg spotsA hint only · from about 6 months
The yellow or orange ocelli on the anal fin of Malawi cichlids, traditionally explained as a lure that draws the female into mouthing them, fertilising the eggs she is already holding.
- Adult sizeA hint only · only across animals of the same age
In many cichlids, catfish and loaches one sex simply grows larger — usually the male, though there are well-known reversals.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Acei Cichlid need?
- A Acei Cichlid needs an aquarium of at least 200 litres (52.8 US gallons) with a footprint at least 120 cm (47.2 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Acei Cichlid need?
- Acei Cichlid does best at 23–28 °C (73.4–82.4 °F), pH 7.5–8.8 and a general hardness of 10–25 °dGH.
- What group size does a Acei Cichlid need?
- Acei Cichlid is a social species — keep a group of at least 5 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Acei Cichlid suitable for beginners?
- Acei Cichlid sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.