Maingano

About

Found over rocky shallows in Lake Malawi, Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos was long known in the hobby under the name "maingano," after the village near its native shoreline. Dominant males display an intense, uniform blue coloration that sets them apart from the closely related M. johanni, which shows heavier black patterning. A distinction worth knowing because the two are sometimes confused or mislabeled at the point of sale. Avoid housing them together, and steer clear of mixing with any other Melanochromis species due to the real risk of hybridization. In the wild this species forages among small and medium rocks for zooplankton and bottom-dwelling invertebrates. In the aquarium it brings that same feisty, rock-dwelling energy, and a peaceful community setup is not a good fit. It works best in a densely stocked mbuna tank where aggression gets spread around, with several females kept per male to prevent any one fish from being singled out. Breeding is relatively accessible for intermediate keepers. Females are maternal mouthbrooders that carry eggs for up to three or four weeks, and the fry are substantial enough to accept brine shrimp nauplii almost immediately. Furnish the tank with plenty of rockwork for territory boundaries and a few open sandy patches for spawning. A rewarding species if you go in with realistic expectations about its temperament.