Common name/s: Socolofi, Powder Blue Cichlid, Pindani

Scientific name: Pseudotropheus socolofi

Family:Cichlidae

Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa

Maximum size: 5"

Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons

Care: A perfect Cichlid for the beginner, Like any other Malawi mbuna, they need a pH ranging from 7.8 to 8.4, They should be kept in a tank that is densely rocky due to their aggressive disposition. Nooks and caves created by rocks will provide. A tank 55G long would be ideal for 2 males with a 2/3 female ratio. If its a smaller tank and footpring then only one male should be houses.

Feeding: This fish is herbivorous and should be fed a diet rich in vegetable matter. Most other Cichlid food as flakes, pellets will be readily excepted.

Sexing and breeding: There is almost no color difference between male and female. A mature male is sometimes a more vibrant blue than the female whereas she remains a drab blue. Some females lack egg spots on the anal fin, but this is not the most accurate means of differentiating males from females. Males’ egg spots also tend to have a sharper, more defined color. Males can reach up to 5-inches in length, while females will stay slightly smaller.
Breeding this fish is not an easy task due to intra-species aggression. Males can be rather rough on unwilling females and if the correct ratios are not kept or sufficient hiding places are not provided, a male can easily kill off his females. It’s possible to keep more then one male in a 55-gallon aquarium, but it will make breeding more difficult.

Comments: This lovely fish can be housed with alot of other Mbuna species so it is perfect for a mixed tank. There is also a albino form of this fish. The colour of the fish has changed over the years due to agressive breeding and they can lack the black band on the fins and sometimes have no vertical stripes at all where some dont have any.





This post has been edited by clareuk: Feb 26 2007, 02:27 AM