African Cichlid – Acei “Tanzania” 5cm

Acei “Tanzania” comes from from Lake Malawi and grows to around 18cm in length. It dwells in shallower waters, however it will sometimes go near the surface, which is very uncommon for Mbunas. It prefers the sandy and rock filled shoreline where sunken logs are easily accessed. This species has developed the advantage of being able to harvest algae from submerged logs and roots. They are equipped with typical Gephyrochromid cuspid-like teeth that are flat for removing epixlyic or epilithic algae from wood. In the lake, schools of 30-50 individuals surrounding a large log are not uncommon, however in the rocky areas; schools usually consist of 3-10 individuals. Adults have black body with bright yellow tail. A reflective blue sheen is sometimes visible on certain angles.

Acei “Tanzania” are omnivorous but prefer plants and algae in their diet. If they are to be fed staple, then any quality food made for African Cichlids will usually do. Most vegetable matter will work as well. These fish are possibly the most peaceful fish in the Mbuna family, and because of this it is not necessary to have a male to female ratio. Their preferred water conditions are a pH of above 7.5 and a temperature of 24–28°C.

Acei “Tanzania” is a mouth brooder, which means that the female will incubate and hatch the eggs in her buchal pouch inside her mouth and then continue to hold the fry until the yolk sacs have been consumed. A typical holding period for this cichlid is three weeks. The female will not eat during this time. Females can have around 50 fry per spawning, although this can greatly vary depending on her size and experience. Once the eggs are done incubating the female spits them out and they are left to fend for themselves.

Acei “Tanzania” like most mbunas have a very long intestine so they can live off a few bites of algae a day. These fish are at high risk for Malawi bloat. Bloat is caused by a protozoan that multiplies when a fish is under stress or consuming an improper diet. The protozoans multiply enough that they cause blockages in the intestines, so neither food nor gases can pass, causing them to become bloated. The bloat eventually damages their liver, swim bladder, and kidneys so much that they die in 24–78 hours. Acei have bicuspid teeth like the rest of the genus Pseudotropheus.

• Species – Pseudotropheus sp. acei “Tanzania”
• Common Name – Acei “Tanzania” or Yellow Tail Black Acei
• Origin – Lake Malawi
• Diet – Omnivore
• PH Range – Alkaline 7.5 – 8.5
• Water Type – Hard
• Temperature – Tropical 24-28°c
• Breed Type – Mouth brooder
• Current Size – approximately 5cm (Grows to approximately 18cm)
• Sex – Un-sexed