Powder Blue Cichlid
Chindongo socolofi
Cichlidae
About
The powder blue cichlid is a striking pale-blue mbuna from the rocky Mozambican shoreline of Lake Malawi, where it grazes the algal biocover on rock and sand. Reaching around 11 cm, it is one of the more even-tempered mbuna yet remains territorial, so it belongs in a spacious, hard, alkaline Rift Lake tank arranged with plenty of rock and open sand, kept as a harem of one male to several females.
Care
Keep in hard, alkaline water (pH 8.0-8.5) over sand with generous rockwork in a tank of 200 L or more. House as a harem of one male to at least three females to spread aggression, and pair only with robust Malawi mbuna; not a community fish.
Diet
Herbivorous aufwuchs grazer; feed spirulina- and vegetable-based foods with blanched greens. Strictly limit protein-rich foods to prevent Malawi bloat.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (155)
Avoid (116)
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 Powder Blue Cichlid need?
- A Powder Blue 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 Powder Blue Cichlid need?
- Powder Blue 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 Powder Blue Cichlid need?
- Powder Blue Cichlid is a social species — keep a group of at least 4 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Powder Blue Cichlid suitable for beginners?
- Powder Blue 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.