Elongate Mbuna
Pseudotropheus elongatus
Cichlidae
About
The elongate mbuna is a slim, torpedo-bodied rock cichlid from the shallow, sediment-free boulder zones of Lake Malawi, recorded from Mbamba Bay and Nkhata Bay. Its blue-black flanks are crossed by a ladder of lighter vertical bars, and the dorsal and caudal fins usually carry a yellow or pale blue margin. Well over thirty geographic forms reach the trade — Chewere, Mpanga and Ornatus among the best known — and because they interbreed freely they must never be mixed in one tank. Behaviourally it sits near the top of the mbuna aggression scale: a dominant male claims a rock territory and hounds every rival, so in a cramped tank the subordinate males simply do not survive.
Care
Give hard, alkaline water (pH 7.8-8.5, 10-25 dH, 25-27 C) over sand with heavy piles of rock, in a tank of at least 250 L and 120 cm of length. Keep one male with four to six females; a second male is usually killed. Tank mates must be robust mbuna with a clearly different pattern — never peacocks, utaka or peaceful community fish.
Diet
Feed a herbivore diet: spirulina and vegetable flake or pellet as the staple, plus blanched spinach, courgette and nori. Offer protein foods only sparingly, and skip bloodworm, tubifex and any red meat entirely to avoid Malawi 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 Elongate Mbuna need?
- A Elongate Mbuna needs an aquarium of at least 250 litres (66 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 Elongate Mbuna need?
- Elongate Mbuna 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 Elongate Mbuna need?
- Elongate Mbuna is a social species — keep a group of at least 5 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Elongate Mbuna suitable for beginners?
- Elongate Mbuna is a demanding species best attempted with some experience — it needs stable, closely watched conditions to thrive.