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Cichlids
/ Africa / Lake Malawi / Mbuna / Elongatus
Elongatus, Slender Mbuna
Pseudotropheus elongatus | Pictures
Synonyms: None
Physical description: The Elongatus is especially elongated for a mbuna.
The body is very slender and there is
a small hump on the forehead.
Several different color morphs are known.
Two morphs are seen more than the others.
The
first has a black body with eight transverse bands that are dark blue in color.
The second commonly seen morph has an
indigo blue body with six to 12 black bands.
Sometimes fewer bands are present because they fade.
In most morphs the fins are black in
color.
Size/Length: Males to 5.3" (13.5 cm), females to 4" (10 cm)
Similar species: One population of
P. gracillior is fairly similar.
Habitat: Eastern Africa; widespread throughout the rocky coasts of Lake Malawi
S: bottom, middle
Aquarium: 40" (101 cm) or 45-55 gallons (170-209 L).
The tank should have a rocky set-up
with caves and out-cropping.
Retreats must be provide for hiding.
Leave open swimming areas and use
coral sand substrate.
Use a strong light to promote the growth of algae.
Water chemistry: pH 7.5-9.0 (8.2), 12-25 dH (16), 72-81°F (22-27°C)
Social behavior: A fish that is territorial and aggressive towards all species.
The Elongatus is considered by many
to be the most aggressive of the Pseudotropheus
genus.
Males are strongly polygamous and will likely kill a single female.
Combine a male with at least four females.
Retreats
will help tank mates to escape when they are persued.
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: Males are larger and have brighter egg-spots on their anal fin.
Breeding techniques: Use water with a pH around 8.2 with a water temperature from
79-82°F (26-28°C).
Keep
at least four females with the male.
The female is an ovophile mouth brooder who lays as many as 35 eggs.
The
eggs are incubated for three weeks and the fry are guarded for two to three days after emerging from the mouth.
Start
feeding with Artemia
and Cyclops
.
Breeding potential: 7.
Breeding is difficult, partly because of the male's aggressive nature.
Remarks: About one-third of the fish available to the hobby are tank-bred.
Difficulty of care: 5.
An aggressive fish that should be combined with other aggressive and robust mbunas.
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.
How to save the world's oceans from overfishing
(7/8/2007) Global fishing stocks are in trouble. After expanding from 18 millions tons in 1950 to around 94 million tons in 2000, annual world fish catch has leveled off and may even be declining. Scientists estimate that the number of large predatory fish in the oceans has fallen by 90 percent since the 1950s, while about one-quarter of the world's fisheries are overexploited, depleted, or recovering from depletion. Despite these dire trends, the situation is changing. Today some of the world's largest environmental groups are focused on addressing the health of marine life and oceans, while sustainable fisheries management is at the top of the agenda for intergovenmental bodies. At the forefront of these efforts is Mike Sutton, director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium's conservation program: the Center for the Future of the Oceans. The aquarium, which has long been recognized as one of the world's most important marine research facilities, is pioneering new strategies for protecting the planet's oceans. Sutton says the approach has four parts: establishing new marine protected areas, pushing for ocean policy reform, promoting sustainable seafood, and protecting wildlife and marine ecosystems.
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