Maingano Cichlid
Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos
Cichlidae
About
The Maingano is a mbuna cichlid endemic to one short stretch of rocky shoreline off Likoma Island in Lake Malawi. Both sexes wear the same electric-blue body crossed by dark horizontal stripes, unusual among mbuna where females are normally drab. It is a busy, territorial maternal mouthbrooder that grazes aufwuchs from the rocks; males are intolerant of each other and of similarly striped species, but it holds its own in a crowded mbuna community.
Care
Keep in hard, alkaline water over sand with dense rock piles forming caves; house one male with three or more females in a crowded mbuna tank of 180 L or larger, and avoid other Melanochromis to prevent hybridisation.
Diet
Feed a spirulina- and vegetable-based diet with occasional small crustaceans such as cyclops or mysis; avoid rich, high-protein foods, which trigger Malawi bloat.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (148)
Avoid (123)
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.
Also in these lists
Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Maingano Cichlid need?
- A Maingano Cichlid needs an aquarium of at least 180 litres (47.6 US gallons) with a footprint at least 100 cm (39.4 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Maingano Cichlid need?
- Maingano Cichlid does best at 23–28 °C (73.4–82.4 °F), pH 7.6–8.8 and a general hardness of 10–25 °dGH.
- What group size does a Maingano Cichlid need?
- Maingano Cichlid is a social species — keep a group of at least 4 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Maingano Cichlid suitable for beginners?
- Yes — Maingano Cichlid is one of the easier species to keep and forgives typical first-tank mistakes, as long as the aquarium is cycled and maintained.