Flavus Cichlid

About

Three things separate this small mbuna from the shelf of blue-and-black rock cichlids beside it. First, the name changed. Stauffer described it in 1988 as Pseudotropheus flavus, and the accepted name today is Chindongo flavus (Stauffer, 1988). The genus is recent: FishBase's main reference for the species is Li, Konings & Stauffer, 2016, whose title reads 'A revision of the Pseudotropheus elongatus species group (Teleostei: Cichlidae) with description of a new genus and seven new species', and Aquarium Glaser records that the type species of Chindongo 'was described together with the genus in 2016' and lists C. flavus among its members. FishBase gives exactly one synonym, Pseudotropheus flavus, plus Pseudotropheus elongatus flagged as a misapplied name, which is a tidy summary of the confusion this fish has caused. Wikipedia's article is still filed under the old combination even though its own Red List citation reads Chindongo flavus, so expect both names in shops, alongside the trade name dinghani. Second, it comes from almost nowhere. Seriously Fish records it 'exclusively at Chinyankwazi Island and Chinyamwezi Reef', and AquaInfo adds that it is not found shallower than about 7.5 m, is most common between 8 and 15 m, and has been seen down to 35 m - the suggestion there being that a golden-yellow fish in shallow, gin-clear water is simply too easy to see. That tiny range is why the IUCN assessment cited by both FishBase and Wikipedia (Konings, 2018) is Near Threatened rather than Least Concern. Third, the temper is unusually civil for the group: Seriously Fish calls it 'not especially aggressive for a mbuna', and AquaInfo files it as mildly aggressive - with one hard exception, because a male 'will act aggressively towards other males who look similar'. The absolute rule is the one Seriously Fish states twice: it must never share a tank with Pseudotropheus (Chindongo) elongatus or anything else in that group, because 'not only will these species interbreed, producing undesirable hybrid offspring, but males of these species will clash very heavily'. On size the sources split. FishBase records 7.6 cm SL and Seriously Fish 9 cm SL, both from wild fish; AquaInfo says aquarium males reach about 12 cm with females at 10 cm and that both stay smaller in the lake, which matches Aquarium Glaser's note that Chindongo 'are among the smallest mbuna and - at least in the wild - barely grow to over 8 cm in length. In the aquarium, however, they can grow 50% larger.' We plan for the 12 cm fish.

Care

One male, three or four females, and rockwork built to break sight lines. Seriously Fish gives 90 x 45 x 37.5 cm (160 litres) as the tank; AquaInfo asks for at least 120 cm and about 250 litres, and Maidenhead Aquatics for four feet - we gate on 120 cm and 250 litres, and the extra length is never wasted. Fill much of the floor with rock piles arranged as caves with small open lanes between, over sand, and let algae grow on the stones because the fish browses on it. Hard, alkaline Malawi water: pH 7.8-8.5, 10-25 dH, 25-27 C. Never house it with Chindongo elongatus or any other member of that species group - they hybridise freely and the males fight hard - and avoid anything else striped yellow and black. Diet is vegetable-led: spirulina flake, blanched spinach and nori as the staple, mysis or krill occasionally, and no bloodworm, tubifex or red meat. Plants are a qualified yes: AquaInfo warns that soft leaves get eaten and steers you to tough-leaved Vallisneria or Java fern, while Seriously Fish, which describes the layout in detail, mentions only algae browsing. Treat anything soft-leaved as a gamble, and keep a lid on the tank.

Diet

Vegetable-led mbuna diet: spirulina flake or pellet, blanched spinach and nori as the bulk, with mysis, krill or brine shrimp as an occasional extra. No bloodworm, no tubifex, no red meat - AquaInfo names the first two as a direct route to Malawi bloat.

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.

Also in these lists

Similar species

Same category and the closest water parameters — if this species isn't quite it, start here.

Health

Disease guide entries relevant to this species — worth a read before you reach for medicine.

Sold in Lithuania

These Lithuanian shops listed this species in their public catalogue (checked August 8, 2026). Stock moves — ask before you travel.

These links are unpaid: we get nothing for them and ask for nothing.

Frequently asked questions

What tank size does a Flavus Cichlid need?

A Flavus Cichlid 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 Flavus Cichlid need?

Flavus Cichlid does best at 23–28 °C (73.4–82.4 °F), pH 7.4–8.8 and a general hardness of 8–25 °dGH.

What group size does a Flavus Cichlid need?

Flavus Cichlid is a social species — keep a group of at least 4 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.

Is the Flavus Cichlid suitable for beginners?

Flavus 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.

Sources

• Seriously Fish — Pseudotropheus flavus
• FishBase — Chindongo flavus (Stauffer, 1988)
• AquaInfo — Chindongo flavus
• Fishkeeper (Maidenhead Aquatics) — Dinghani Elongatus, Pseudotropheus flavus
• Wikipedia — Pseudotropheus flavus
• Aquarium Glaser — Chindongo elongatus (formerly Pseudotropheus elongatus)
• NippyFish — Pseudotropheus flavus (keeper's account)