Pseudotropheus elegans

Pseudotropheus elegans

Pseudotropheus elegans was first described by Trewavas in 1935. The species name elegans means elegant. Probably a reference to the elegant build of the species.

A genus usually has several species that had a common ancestor. So they share some characteristics that distinguish them from other species. They then form a monophyletic group. However, the genus Pseudotropheus is a collection of species that do not really belong together, but that has been brought together temporarily. More research is needed to classify the different species in truly related groups. The genus Pseudotropheus is, therefore, a polyphyletic group.

Pseudotropheus elegans is still commercially available under different names. Depending on colour and origin, they are being sold with names like Pseudotropheus sp. Acei Ngara or Pseudotropheus Acei White Tail.

Description

Pseudotropheus elegans can reach a total length of about 11 centimetres in the wild. The females usually stay an centimetre shorter than the males. In the aquarium, they often get too much and too powerful food, which makes them much longer than in the wild. It often happens that in captivity they reach a length of 15 centimetres.

The colour of Pseudropheus elegans is somewhat variable, depending on the location where they come from. Generally, they are grey/bluish in colour. The tail contains some yellow. Some faint vertical stripes are sometimes visible on the flank, but they do not extend below the caudal fin. In other Pseudotropheus, these stripes often run downwards. The difference between males and females is not very big. The males grow slightly larger and are more brightly coloured than females.

This species is very similar to Pseudotropheus sp. Acei . Pseudotropheus elegans, however, has a black band on the ventral and anal fins and on the lower part of the caudal fin. This black band is missing entirely from Pseudotropheus sp. Acei.

Character

The character of Pseudotropheus elegans is quite calm. Unlike many other Mbuna, they make virtually no territory and leave other species completely alone. It is, therefore, a species that is very easy to combine with almost all other Mbuna’s.

Biotope

Unlike many other Mbuna, Pseudotropheus elegans does not usually live among the rocks. They are sometimes seen above the sand in open water. They are usually found around tree trunks and branches that have been flushed into the water.

This species is found in the northwest of Lake Malawi between Itungi Port in Tanzania to Selewa in Malawi.

Diet

In the wild, Pseudotropheus elegans feeds by eating diatoms and blue-green algae that grow on wood over the sandy substrate. With their teeth, they do not comb through the algae strands (Aufwuchs) but really bite.

For the food in the aquarium, you should, therefore, take into account that Pseudotropheus elegans is a herbivore. Give them flakes for herbivorous cichlids and spirulina flakes, for example. Their intestines are much longer than that of a carnivore. So don’t give them too often and certainly not too much live or frozen food. A few Daphnia or fresh brine shrimp will not immediately cause a problem but do not feed them too often.

The Aquarium

The aquarium for Pseudotropheus elegans may be set up with (filter) sand on the bottom. Place some rock formations between which the females can hide if they want to escape the attention of the male. To mimic their natural habitat, you can place some large branches or pieces of wood in the aquarium. Pseudotropheus elegans picks from the algae that grow on the wood.

You can keep a harem of one male with two or three females in an aquarium from 120 centimetres, provided that you do not overfeed them and so they do not exceed 11 centimetres. If you keep them together with other Mbuna, you give them a lot of frozen food and you feed them quite a lot, they get bigger … .. an aquarium from 150 centimetres is necessary. You can also keep them in a group where you keep several males and females together. This is not possible with most Mbuna.

A species with which they are easy to combine is, for example, Labidochromis caeruleus. The yellow of the caeruleus contrasts nicely with the grey/blue/purplish of the Pseudotropheus elegans. The character of these two species is also quite similar.

Plants are not necessary for the fish. If you still want to keep plants, choose tough plants such as Vallisneria, Java fern or Anubias. The Mbuna often scrape algae from the stones and plants, so soft plants are often damaged, but the tough plants also often have a hard time.

Water parameters

The temperature of the water may be between 22 and 26 degrees Celsius. Ideally, the pH is between 7.5 and 8.5.

Because an aquarium with Mbuna usually has no plants, regular water changes are necessary. This ensures that waste is removed and keeps your fish healthy.

Breeding Pseudotropheus elegans

Breeding Pseudotropheus elegans is relatively easy. The male tries to seduce the female to spawn by putting on his fins. He shows his flank and fins to the female and shakes his body. When she tries to swim away, he hovers in front of her, again and again, shows his spread out fins and flank and trembles with his whole body.

When the female is willing to spawn, they circle each other above the sand. Finally, the female releases a few eggs in the sand, while circling the male, the male fertilizes the eggs, after which the female takes the eggs directly into her mouth.

The eggs hatch in the female’s mouth after a few days. However, she continues to brood on the fry. Only after about 19 to 21 days does the female spit out the young Pseudotropheus elegans. The young fish now have to take care of themselves. In an aquarium with several adult fish, the fry are quickly seen as food. Most juvenile fish are eaten before they have a chance of growing up.

Breeding Tank

If you want to raise more than the occasional fry, you can transfer the female to a separate breeding aquarium after about 15 to 18 days. Decorate the aquarium with some sand on the bottom and some hiding places for the female. As soon as she spits out the fry, you can catch the female and return her to the rest of your Malawi cichlids. She does not eat for the first few hours after spitting the young fish. You have enough time to remove the female.

You can raise the young Pseudotropheus elegans by feeding them with finely crushed flakes.

Video

Author

John de Lange

Copyright images

fa_ember

References

Redescription of Pseudotropheus livingstonii and Pseudotropheus elegans
from Lake Malaŵi, Africa – J.R. JR. STAUFFER, A F. KONINGS, T.M. RYAN
Fishbase.se
Cichlidae.com