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Encyclopedia / African Cichlids / Elongatus mbuna
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Variations

2 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Elongatus mbuna

Chindongo elongatus · Pseudotropheus elongatus, Elongatus, Slender mbuna, Elongatus chewere, Elongatus ornatus

Active and territorial; keep with other mbuna in a rocky tank.

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12 cmBody length, without tail ✓
24–28 °CTemperature ✓
7.8–8.6pH ✓
137 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Elongatus mbuna is aggressive and will bully peaceful neon tetra.
  • Rift lake cichlids like elongatus mbuna need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • Elongatus mbuna is aggressive and will bully peaceful cardinal tetra.
  • Rift lake cichlids like elongatus mbuna need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • Elongatus mbuna is aggressive and will bully peaceful black neon tetra.
  • Rift lake cichlids like elongatus mbuna need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like elongatus mbuna need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Their pH needs don't quite meet (7.8–8.6 vs 5.5–7.5). Aim between the two and keep it steady.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like elongatus mbuna need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: 7.8–8.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

57 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ✓10–25 dGH
Group size ✓6 or more
Temperament ✓Aggressive
Swims at ?All levels
Care level ✓Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 4–7 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Active and territorial; keep with other mbuna in a rocky tank.

  • cave

Food

Algae-based pellets and flakes with some frozen foods.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Adult males are usually larger than females and have brighter egg spots on the anal fin.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Maternal mouthbrooder (harem) · Moderate

Maternal mouthbrooder; keep one male with several females. The female carries the eggs for about 3-4 weeks before releasing free-swimming fry.

Pairing

Keep one male with 3-5 females; a lone female is harassed to exhaustion and two males will fight.

Setup

150-250 L rockwork tank with many caves, hard alkaline water (pH 7.8-8.6) and strong filtration. Keep a bare 60 L tank handy to move a holding female.

What starts it

Stable warm water (26-28 C), regular water changes and a good male-to-female ratio; the male displays and leads a female to a flat rock or cave.

Eggs

The female carries the eggs for about 3-4 weeks. No sourced egg count found.

Raising the fry

The female releases free-swimming fry after 3-4 weeks. Feed finely crushed flake, spirulina powder and newly hatched brine shrimp from day one; do small daily water changes. Remove the female after release so she can recover.

Common mistakes
  • Too few females so the male harasses them
  • Mixing similar-looking mbuna that hybridise
  • Soft or acidic water
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionLake Malawi
Rivers and lakesLake Malawi (various rocky coasts)
HabitatRocky shoreline
Native rangeAbout 300 km across
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The story of the elongatus mbuna

A slim, torpedo-shaped mbuna of shallow rocky shores that combs loose algae from the rocks. Described by Geoffrey Fryer in 1956 and now placed in Chindongo. Over 30 forms are traded under the name, and they should not be mixed because they hybridise.

British biologist Geoffrey Fryer described this slender mbuna in 1956 during his landmark studies of Lake Malawi's rock fish. Many colour forms are sold under its name. It is active and notably aggressive for its size.

First described by Geoffrey Fryer in 1956.

  • Its body is longer and slimmer than most mbuna, hence 'elongatus'.
  • Many colour forms exist, sold under different local names.
  • Geoffrey Fryer's Lake Malawi research helped make mbuna famous to science.

Sources

15 facts checked with sources