Powder Blue

QUICK STATS
Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons
Care Level: Easy
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Water Conditions: 76-82° F, KH 10-15, pH 7.8-8.6
Max. Size: 6"
Color Form: Black, Blue, White
Diet: Herbivore
Compatibility: View Chart
Origin: Africa - Lake Malawi
Family: Cichlidae

The Powder Blue Cichlid is also known as the Powder Blue Cichlid or  Malawi Cichlid and comes from the rocky shores of Lake Malawi, Africa. The coloration of the Powder Blue is a pale blue background with seven to eight blue-black bars with four orange egg-shaped spots on the anal fin.

The Powder Blue will do best in a cichlid community aquarium with numerous rocks and caves with a sandy bottom and plenty of places to set up territories. A laterite-based substrate is ideal for this system as it will help to maintain the necessary high pH and alkalinity.

For best results in spawning, the males should be kept with at least three females. The female will spawn on a flat rock and will take the unfertilized eggs into her mouth and will follow closely behind the male until he releases the sperm to fertilize the eggs. The female will then incubate the eggs for approximately three weeks before releasing the fry. The fry can then be fed newly hatched brine shrimp, daphnia, or crushed flake food.

The Powder Blue should be fed foods rich in vegetable matter such as flake, pellet and leafy seaweeds.

Approximate Purchase Size: Small: 1" to 1-1/2"; Medium: 2" to 3 "; Large: 4" to 5