Home / Fishes / Cichlids / Cichlidae / Protomelas pleurotaenia
No federal permit to keepProtomelas pleurotaenia
Protomelas pleurotaenia
Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)
Protomelas pleurotaenia is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi where it is only known from Monkey Bay and Nkhata Bay where it is known to occur from the surface to 10 metres (33 ft).
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 30 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 5.6 in / 14.1 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.
Care guide
Species care notes
- Tank: a base of at least 47 × 18 in (roughly 54 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
- Water: hard, alkaline water, 75–82 °F, pH 7.6–8.8, 10–25 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament territorial.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “Much of the aquarium should contain piles of rocks arranged to form caves with small areas of open water between.”
- Diet: “It will accept most foods offered but live and frozen varieties should form the bulk of the diet.”
- Tankmates: “A gentle species which is not suited to the boisterous mbuna community although it does become territorial when breeding.”
- Breeding: “No information available regarding captive breeding.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
Lake Malawi peacocks and haps
Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Open water and sand of Lake Malawi. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.
Housing & setup
- Hard, alkaline water (pH 7.8–8.6), a long tank (5 ft+ for larger haps) with open sand and some rock.
- Generally less aggressive than mbuna; males color up best with several females.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 76–82°F |
Diet
- For Aulonocara stuartgranti, use small prepared foods with some vegetable content and varied small live/frozen invertebrates. Match other haps to their own feeding ecology.
Health watch
- Do not diagnose bloat from a label such as “mbuna-style food”; Aulonocara stuartgranti diets can include vegetable foods. Match food and tankmates to the species.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
This species can reach a length of 14.1 centimetres (5.6 in) TL. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Protomelas pleurotaenia” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
In the wild
From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.1
| Where it lives | Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. Found in vegetated areas between rocks and sand. Feeds on invertebrates that it locates in the sand by blowing into the upper sediment layer. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, depth 0–10 m. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
From the sources
From the sources
Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.
| Where it lives | Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase |
| Biology | Found in vegetated areas between rocks and sand. Feeds on invertebrates that it locates in the sand by blowing into the upper sediment layer. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates; aim for the middle.
pH
Water hardness
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 18 in (about 54 US gallons).
Sources for this sheet
- FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
- Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
- Seriously Fish — Aulonocara stuartgranti Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
- Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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