Taiwan Reef - Protomelas steveni - Juvenile

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$16.99
SKU: 235062
Manufacturer: That Fish Place
MPN: L90 0022 1196

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This Protomelas steveni strain originates from Taiwan Reef in the middle of Lake Malawi. Dominant males feature brilliant blue coloration on the head and back, accented with yellow flanks and belly and a red anal fin. A white blaze adorns the forehead and stretches into the dorsal fin. Females and juveniles are silver. A selectively bred albino variant features muted pastel coloration and red eyes on males, and pale yellow-orange juveniles and females. These colorful Protomelas are often confused with the Peacock cichlids from genus Aulonocara.

Malawian and Victorian cichlids are similar in care and temperament, leading to fish from these two lakes being grouped together in the hobby. Several hundreds species of cichlid are found in Lake Malawi, along with many regional variations, but Lake Victoria has far fewer due to the introduction of invasive predators. Most cichlids in both lakes are rock-dwellers. They seldom stray far from the rocky bottoms and sides of the lake and will quickly dart into the rocks to hide. As with all cichlids, they are very territorial and will not tolerate other cichlids around “their” crevice.

Two of the most popular groups of these cichlids are the “Peacocks” (mostly the Aulonocara genus) and “Mbuna's” (native term for “rock fish” and including the genera Pseudotropheus, Labidochromis, Maylandia, Melanochromis and others). While aggression and compatibility can vary from species to species, mixing Mbuna and Peacock cichlids is not usually recommended. Mbuna cichlids tend to be more aggressive and may bully the usually more passive Peacocks but some Mbuna cichlids are far more aggressive than others. Several other groups of cichlids can also be found from these lakes, some of which can be large and aggressive predators; research all choices carefully.

Decor for a Malawi/Victoria aquarium should be very rocky. Rock "piles" and shelf-like backgrounds are common designs and can be made from tufa rock, lava rock or slate. Substrates can range from the whitish coral sand used in saltwater aquariums to black freshwater sand or even regular decorative gravels. Wood tends to lower pH and is not usually recommended for African cichlid aquariums.

Visit That Fish Blog for more information from our marine biologists and aquarium staff on African cichlids and many other topics!

Specifications

Specifications
MPN
L90 0022 1196
Manufacturer
That Fish Place
Common NameTaiwan Reef - Juvenile
Scientific NameProtomelas steveni
OriginLake Malawi (Africa)
Max Size (in inches)7
Community SafeYes, with caution (African cichlids only)
pH Range7.8-8.6
DietHerbivore
Min Tank Size (in gallons)75
Temperature Range76-80
DifficultyEasy
Internal Id
27272

State Restrictions
Alaska
Armed Forces Americas
Armed Forces Europe
Armed Forces Pacific
California
Hawaii
Puerto Rico

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