CHINDONGO ELONGATUS (Chindongo sp. 'elongatus mphanga)

Distribution:

Metriaclima sp. "elongatus chailosi" is found at Chitande in Lake Malawi around rocks.

Size, Maturity, and Sexual Dimorphism:

Size: Males- 4 inches, Females- 3.5 inches
Maturity: 2 inches
Sexual Dimorphism: Males are larger than females and have blue head, while females have the same color and barring as males without a blue head.

This fish loves hard water at about 78 degrees and is tough. They are extreme diggers and will move sand and gravel all day.

Diet:

This fish is an herbivore. Food high in protein can be fed to get the fish in breeding condition, but the fish do need a high quality vegetable flake or pellet to consist of most of their diet.

Breeding:

This fish was not very hard to spawn. The fish spawned in typical mbuna behavior. The males of course color up a lot before spawning and get very territorial. Females held for about 24 days and were very good holders. At this point they were stripped. The fry were free swimming and easily accepted crushed flake and baby brine shrimp. The fry gain the yellow color at about 1/2 an inch and grow fast. Raising the fry poses no issues.

http://www.borstein.info/profiles/malawi/metelongchailosi.html