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Cichlids
/ Africa / Lake Malawi / Mbuna / Auratus
Auratus, Malawi Golden Cichlid
Melanochromis auratus | Pictures
Synonyms:
Pseudotropheus auratus
Physical description: Young individuals have females coloring which consists of a golden-yellow base color
with three black bands. Each black band had small white stripes running parallel with it. The caudal fin is spotted
and the anal, pectoral, and pelvic fins are golden. When the male reaches two inches (5 cm), he begins to develop
mature male colors. The female colors are reversed on the male, making the base body color black with yellow stripes.
Sometimes the yellow stripes are turquoise or blue depending on the location where the fish may be found. The caudal
fin is black with a few white stripes and the dorsal fin is yellow. The anal, pectoral, and pelvic fins are black
and have a white fringe.
Size/Length: Males to 5" (12 cm), Females to 4" (10 cm); some have reported fish up
to 8" (20 cm)
Similar species: Young fish resemble the Golden Julie (
Julidochromis ornatus) from Lake Tanganyika.
Similar
Lake Malawi fish include the Johannii (M.
johannii) and the Parallel-striped Mbuna (
M. parallelus).
Habitat: East Africa; caught along the rocky shores of Lake Malawi
S: all
Aquarium: 32" (80 cm) or 30 gallons (114 L) is sufficient for fish to 4" (10 cm) in length.
Larger
fish require at least a 40" (101 cm) tank.
The tank should have a similar set-up to that of other Mbunas.
See
the Mbuna description.
Water chemistry: pH 7.5-9 (8.0), 10-25 dH (20), 72-81°F (22-27°C)
Social behavior: An aggressive, territorial, and intolerant fish.
Provide a retreat for each fish.
The
Auratus is especially aggressive to its own and similar species.
Keep one male with several females.
Suggested companions: Small Haplochromines, mbunas,
Synodontis
FOOD: Algae; flake; live; snails, bloodworms, mosquito larvae, microorganisms, crustaceans,
snails, Tubifex
; chopped meat; pellets; tablets; plant matter; vegetables; peas, lettuce, spinach; fruit.
Sexual differences: The males is larger, has more black coloring, and has yellow dummy-eggs on his anal
fins. See "Physical Description."
Breeding techniques: The parents form a matriarchal family.
Raise the water temperature to 79-81°F
(26-27°C) to initiate spawning.
Place at least 4 females with one male in a breeding tank.
10-30
eggs are laid and are immediately taken into the female's mouth.
The male should be removed just after spawning
is complete.
The eggs are incubated there for three weeks, until they hatch.
The fry remain in her mouth for another
week and then leave, to feed on small crustaceans and other small live foods.
Breeding potential: 6.
Breeding is fairly easy as long as the male does not kill the female is his aggressive
spawning attempts.
Remarks: A pale blue variation is sometimes imported from the waters around the Likoma Islands
in Lake Malawi. These fish are "Aufwuchs" feeders in nature. When disturbed, the male can undergo rapid
color change, assuming the colors of the female.
Difficulty of care: 5.
The Auratus is a hardy, but highly aggressive fish.
Usually this problem can be solved by
providing a cave or other structure for each fish, and by using non-similar species as companions.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
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