Mbuna
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Mbuna (pronounced Mmm-boo-nah
Mbuna in aquaria
These cichlids are some of the most colorful
Social behavior
Mbuna exhibit strong social behavior and establish a clearly visible social hierarchy including well-defined and enforced territories. A dominant male maintains a spherical territory, only allowing females to enter this territory for breeding purposes. Overcrowding helps spread out the aggression caused by these territorial conflicts. They, like Astatotilapia burtoni, are maternal mouthbrooders and breed readily in good conditions.
Water parameters
All species from Lake Malawi thrive in the temperature range of 77-84 °F. pH 7.5-8.4 is ideal with an almost pristine (near 0 ppm) ammonia and ammonium nitrite content.
Notable mbuna cichlids
Many mbuna cichlids are regularly stocked and sold by pet shops. Some of the most common ones are the Bumblebee Cichlid or Hornet Cichlid (
- Abactochromis Oliver & Arnegard 2010
- Chindongo Shan Li, Konings and Stauffer, 2016
- CyathochromisTrewavas 1935
- Regan1922
- GenyochromisTrewavas 1935
- Gephyrochromis Boulenger 1901
- Iodotropheus Oliver & Loiselle 1972
- Labeotropheus Ahl 1926
- Labidochromis Trewavas 1935
- Metriaclima Stauffer, Bowers, Kellogg, & McKaye 1997 [4])
- Trewavas1935
- Petrotilapia Trewavas 1935
- Regan1922
- Tropheops Trewavas 1984
The list below includes groups of nonmbuna mouthbrooding cichlids from Lake Malawi.
- Peacock cichlids (Aulonocara species)
- Utaka cichlids
- Other genera such as Rhamphochromis
References
- ^ "Mbuna Cichlids". Aquatic Community. Retrieved 2 May 2014.
- ISBN 0-86101-407-3.
- ISBN 0-521-57329-7.
- ^ M. K. Oliver, Ph.D. (2002) Maylandia, Metriaclima or Pseudotropheus? from www.malawicichlids.com [1]
- ^ Info on keeping Malawi cichlids
- ^ African Cichlid Genus Gallery
- ^ Ad Konings biography