The Kenyi Cichlid is a long lived freshwater fish that originates from Lake Malawi in Africa. It's a beautiful species, that can live up to 18 years in captivity, with the male and female being two distinct colors. The male is always larger, and is a vibrant orange with faint brown stripes, while the smaller female is light blue with dark blue stripes. The males reach up to 6 inches in length, and females about 4 inches.
Like most cichlids, the Malawi Kenyi prefers to live in a rocky setting that has plenty of caves and hiding spots. Be forewarned that
this is a very aggressive species, and needs to be placed in a 55 gallon tank at the least.Suitable Tank Size and Environment
As mentioned, the Kenyi Cichlid needs a tank that is a minimum of 55 gallons in size. This size is suitable for a school on their own for breeding purposes, or when being kept with other varieties of cichlids that are of similar aggression levels. If they are to be kept with other fish, the tank needs to be 75 gallons and larger, as this particular mbuna has a strong tendency to get aggressive with other fish.
Tanks need to have as much space as possible to give fish room to get away from one another. A rocky substrate must be used, and tank decorations or rock that has voids or caves so the fish can hide when they are tired of one another.
Feeding the Metriaclima Kenyi Cichlid
In it's natural habitat, in the waters of lake Malawi, this mbuna prefers to eat algae off rocks, and is primarily a vegetarian. The best foods for this fish is vegetable-based foods or foods designed for the African Cichlid.
An added bonus to this particular mbuna is that they keep tank surfaces free of algae as much as they can, but don't expect them to live off it.Breeding the Malawi Kenyi
Males reach breeding maturity when they turn completely yellow and stop changing altogether. Females are mature when they are blue and the dark blue/black banding shows up. Breeding Kenyi Cichlids is something that even less experienced aquarium owners could do.
The first step to take when breeding is to create at least a four to one ratio of females:male. One male with many females is the best arrangement as it gives the male plenty to do when trying to mate with the females. This is where having plenty of caves and holes in the tank comes in handy for the females as they can hide while taking a break from the males attention.
Metriaclima lombardoi is a mouth brooder, and the female lets the fry out of her mouth about three weeks after the eggs have fertilized. She may also aggressively defend a small territory while brooding. The fry hang around the female's mouth, and return to hide in it whenever they feel threatened.
The Metriaclima Kenyi Cichlid is a beautiful fish from Lake Malawi. They are relatively easy to keep and great for first time Cichlid aquarium owners. They are avaiable online and in most local pet stores.