Tropheops Chilumba

Males of this group are blue banded and have a black bar and red line in the dorsal fin with red in the cheeks and head making it a fine addition to the cichlid aquarium. The females of this species are colorful too. They are all yellow instead of a drab brown or gray color found in a lot of the Mbunas, giving a nice eye-pleasing variety.

his species is moderate in size, reaching up to about 14 cm in length, and it has a distinctly blunt, down-curved snout. It is also very active, so needs plenty of room. An 80 Litre tank is the minimum for a single specimen, but to keep more will require at least 200 Litres or more.

Keeping a group of these fish makes for a very lively, colorful show aquarium. It will do well in a Mbuna tank, but is not a community specimen that can be housed with fish other than cichlids. They are not demanding and are pretty hardy if their water is kept clean. They are also easy to breed if they are happy. However the males are very aggressive toward the females, especially when breeding. A male needs to be kept with five or more females to help dampen the aggression.

Provide lots of rocks piled up to make caves and crevices for them to explore and to hide in, especially when the male is abusing the females. Arranging the rocks in a manner to make “territories” will help ease aggression, as will keeping them in a large aquarium with other Mbuna species. Success is dependent on the aquarists willingness to do frequent water changes, have sufficient hiding places, and provide appropriate tank mates.

• Species – Pseudotropheus Tropheops Chilumba
• Common Name – Chilumba
• Origin – Lake Malawi
• Diet – Omnivore/Herbivore
• PH Range – Alkaline 7.5 – 8.5
• Water Type – Hard
• Temperature – Tropical 24°c
• Breed Type – Mouth brooder
• Current Size – approximately 5cm (Grows to approximately 14cm)
• Sex – Un-sexed