Freshwater
Golden mbuna
Melanochromis auratus
Cichlidae, Pseudocrenilabrinae
Facts
Characteristics
- Length
- Up to 11 cm
- Body shape
- Streamlined
Care
- Group
- Missing
- Smallest aquarium
- 46 liters
- Diet
- Missing
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Behavior
Water values
Smallest tank
Range
Found only hereIntroduced
Lives wild in Malawi.
Introduced to Hong Kong SAR China and Israel.
Tank mates
More about the species
Description
Found in rocky habitats. Feeds from the biocover by nibbling and picking on the algae. Aquarium keeping: aggressive towards conspecifics; many females for one male; minimum aquarium size 100 cm.
Other names
Other scientific names
- Chromis aurata
- Chromis auratus
- Pseudotropheus auratus
- Tilapia aurata
In other languages
- Gylden Malawi-cichlide
- Kultamalawinahven
- Golden cichlid, Golden pseudotropheus, Malawi golden cichlid
Articles
All articles
Fish that get along4 min read
Temperament, fin nippers, fish that eat other fish, and fish that need the same water. And what the Harmony mark in the app means.
How to set up an African aquarium5 min read
Two completely different aquariums: forest rivers with soft, brown water, roots and leaves, and Rift Valley lake cichlids in hard, alkaline water with big rock piles.
How to add new fish4 min read
From the store to the tank: how to get the fish used to your water, why you should add only a few at a time, and what to watch for in the first few days.
Quarantine for new fish3 min read
Why new fish should live in a tank of their own for a few weeks before they move in, what you need, and what to look for.