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| Melanochromis auratus (Auratus or Golden Auratus) |
| Family: |
Cichlidae |
| Maximum Size: |
4.5" (11.0cm) |
| Distribution: |
From Lake Malawi in central Africa. Found from Jalo Reef southward along the entire western coast down to Crocodile Rocks. This species does not occur on the eastern shore. |
| Temperature Range: |
72-79oF (22-26oC) |
| pH Range: |
7.0 to 8.5 |
| Water Hardness: |
10.0 to 15.0 dH |
 Melanochromis auratus are a fantastic aquarium species. When young, males and females are both a bright golden yellow with two brown to black horizontal bands along the top half of their bodies. As the fish mature, the females retain the coloring, while the males become jet black with two white to gold stripes. In Lake Malawi, these fish inhabit rocky shores in anywhere for 1 to 130 feet of water. Thus, M. auratus requires ample caves and rockwork in order to feel comfortable in an aquarium. Like most Mbuna this species is omnivorous, deriving a substantial portion of their nutrition from algae. Their captive diet should reflect this and contain a good portion of vegetable matter. If consistently fed a diet too high in protein auratus and other Malawi cichlids can develop a condition known as "Malawi bloat". This condition occurs because the fish do not break down animal protein efficiently and if fed too much, over time it can wreak havoc with their gastrointestinal tract and cause blockages. The bloat results from these blockages. Although small for cichlids, M. auratus is fiesty and very territorial. It should not be housed with other Melanochromis species, or even species with horizontal stripes and a similar body shape! Due to their aggressive nature, this species needs a lot of space. A 55 gallon tank is the bare minimum. If you are trying to breed M. auratus, buy at least six individuals and raise them until it is apparent which are males and which are females. At that point, remove all but one male since the dominant male would kill the others in time. The goal is to have at least three females to one male. The male will chase any females incessantly. His amorous attention can kill single females, so it is best to have multiple females to share the burden. |
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