Malawi Cichlids
Melanochromis parallelus
Melanochromis parallelus
Also called: Melanochromis loriae
Photo: Alexandra Tyers · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Key facts
- Temperature24–27 °C
- pH7.5–8.5
- Minimum tank250 l
- Adult size10 cm
- Difficulty★★★☆☆
- TemperamentAggressive
- WaterFresh
Full profile
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Lake Malawi (southeastern shore)
- Size
- 10 cm
- Temperature
- 24 – 27°C
- pH
- 7.5 – 8.5
- GH
- 10 – 20 °dGH
- Difficulty
- ★★★☆☆
- Water type
- tropical freshwater (hard and alkaline)
- Swimming level
- medium – low
- Behavior
- aggressive (territorial)
- Minimum number of individuals
- 1 male with 3 or more females
- Minimum aquarium size
- 250 L
- Diet
- Omnivore (pellets, brine shrimp, spirulina)
- Reproduction
- oviparous; maternal mouthbrooding
Notes: White with two parallel horizontal black lines, very high contrast. Slightly less active than the auratus but just as territorial toward fish with a similar appearance.
