Save the Little Fish

Freshwater fishes

The fish list

542 species, each with the water it needs, who it gets along with, and where it comes from. Find one, or browse by family, genus or river.

Lake Malawi 11 fish

Auratus

Auratus ≈

Cichlids · MelanochromisLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: rocky shores of the west and south coasts, up the east coast to Nkhomo Reef

Auratus

Melanochromis auratus

Lake Malawi: rocky shores of the west and south coasts, up the east coast to Nkhomo Reef · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
4 in · 11 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Herbivore
Group
4+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

Photo: 5snake5, CC0

Deep water hap

Deep water hap ≈

Cichlids · PlacidochromisLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: sandy bottoms below ~7 m at Likoma Island, Mara Point and Malawi coast south to Nekete

Deep water hap

Placidochromis electra

Lake Malawi: sandy bottoms below ~7 m at Likoma Island, Mara Point and Malawi coast south to Nekete · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
6 in · 16 cm
Flow
Calm
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Group
4+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

Photo: Paolo Neo, Public domain

Demasoni

Demasoni ≈

Cichlids · ChindongoVU

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: Pombo Rocks, Tanzanian coast

Demasoni

Chindongo demasoni

Lake Malawi: Pombo Rocks, Tanzanian coast · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
3 in · 7.5 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Herbivore
Group
6+
Status in the wild
Vulnerable

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

Photo: dinomariobob, CC0

Electric blue hap

Electric blue hap ≈

Cichlids · SciaenochromisLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: rocky coasts lake-wide, 10-40 m

Electric blue hap

Sciaenochromis fryeri

Lake Malawi: rocky coasts lake-wide, 10-40 m · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
6 in · 16 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Carnivore
Group
4+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

Photo: Ged 02, CC BY-SA 4.0

Flametail peacock

Flametail peacock ≈

Cichlids · AulonocaraLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: along the coast between Ngara and Chizi Point; 'flametail' form from Ngara, Malawi

Flametail peacock

Aulonocara stuartgranti

Lake Malawi: along the coast between Ngara and Chizi Point; 'flametail' form from Ngara, Malawi · lake

Temperature
23–29°C
pH
7.5–9
Adult size
5 in · 13 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Carnivore
Group
5+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

Photo: Photograph by Mike Peel ( www.mikepeel.net )., CC BY-SA 4.0

Jacobfreibergi peacock

Jacobfreibergi peacock ≈

Cichlids · AulonocaraLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: southern lake - Cape Maclear, Otter Point, Monkey Bay, Undu Reef

Jacobfreibergi peacock

Aulonocara jacobfreibergi

Lake Malawi: southern lake - Cape Maclear, Otter Point, Monkey Bay, Undu Reef · lake

Temperature
25–29°C
pH
7.5–9
Adult size
6 in · 15 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Bottom
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Carnivore
Group
5+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

Photo: Lerdsuwa, CC BY-SA 3.0

Kenyi

Kenyi ≈

Cichlids · MaylandiaLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: Mbenji Islands and Nkhomo Reef, Malawi (introduced at Namalenje Island)

Kenyi

Maylandia lombardoi

Lake Malawi: Mbenji Islands and Nkhomo Reef, Malawi (introduced at Namalenje Island) · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
6 in · 15 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Omnivore
Group
4+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

Photo: Vlad Butsky, CC BY 4.0

Red top trewavasae

Red top trewavasae ≈

Cichlids · LabeotropheusLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: algae-covered rocky shores and islands, many localities

Red top trewavasae

Labeotropheus trewavasae

Lake Malawi: algae-covered rocky shores and islands, many localities · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
4 in · 11.3 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Aggressive
Diet
Herbivore
Group
4+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

Photo: Jutta234, CC BY-SA 3.0

Red zebra

Red zebra ≈

Cichlids · MaylandiaLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: Mozambique/Malawi east coast, Metangula and Minos Reef to Gome

Red zebra

Maylandia estherae

Lake Malawi: Mozambique/Malawi east coast, Metangula and Minos Reef to Gome · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.8
Adult size
5 in · 13.5 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Herbivore
Group
4+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

Photo: Maha Dinesh, CC BY-SA 3.0

Saulosi

Saulosi ≈

Cichlids · ChindongoCR

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: Taiwan Reef only, ~9 km NW of Chizumulu Island, Malawi

Saulosi

Chindongo saulosi

Lake Malawi: Taiwan Reef only, ~9 km NW of Chizumulu Island, Malawi · lake

Temperature
23–27°C
pH
7.4–8.4
Adult size
3 in · 8.6 cm
Flow
Strong
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Territorial
Diet
Herbivore
Group
4+
Status in the wild
Critically endangered

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

Photo: Gerard Delany, CC BY-SA 4.0

Yellow lab

Yellow lab ≈

Cichlids · LabidochromisLC

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Lake Malawi: NW coast; electric-yellow form only between Charo and Lion's Cove, Malawi

Yellow lab

Labidochromis caeruleus

Lake Malawi: NW coast; electric-yellow form only between Charo and Lion's Cove, Malawi · lake

Temperature
24–28°C
pH
7.7–8.6
Adult size
4 in · 10 cm
Flow
Gentle
Swims
Mid-water
Temperament
Semi-aggressive
Diet
Omnivore
Group
4+
Status in the wild
Least concern

Predator. Eats any fish that fits in its mouth.

Hard water. Needs hard, alkaline water, like its rift lake.

Photo: Jmatz at English Wikipedia ( Original text: Julian Matz ( talk ) ), CC BY-SA 3.0

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