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Encyclopedia / African Cichlids / Powder blue
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Variations

2 kinds · tap one for a closer look

Powder blue

Chindongo socolofi · Pseudotropheus socolofi, Socolofi, Pindani, Pindani cichlid

Mild for an mbuna; fine with other less aggressive mbuna.

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12 cmBody length, without tail ✓
24–28 °CTemperature ✓
7.8–8.6pH ✓
154 LSmallest tank ✓
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Powder blue is tropical.
  • Rift lake cichlids like powder blue need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • They need different temperatures (24–28 °C vs 10–22 °C). No setting suits both.
  • Rift lake cichlids like powder blue need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • Oscar eats animals up to about 12 cm. Powder blue only grows to 12 cm.
  • Rift lake cichlids like powder blue need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like powder blue need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
With conditions
  • Rift lake cichlids like powder blue need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
  • Their pH needs don't quite meet (7.8–8.6 vs 4.5–7). Aim between the two and keep it steady.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

72 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 ✓4 or more
Temperament ✓Semi-aggressive
Swims at ?All levels
Care level ✓Easy
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 3–6 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Mild for an mbuna; fine with other less aggressive mbuna. Do not house with similar blue species or aggressive types.

  • cave

Food

Quality spirulina-based cichlid pellets and flake once or twice a day; keep protein low and add vegetable matter such as spirulina and blanched greens.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Hard to sex: both sexes are the same powder blue. Males have larger, more intense egg spots on the anal fin and longer pelvic fins, and are the more territorial sex.

Health

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

Breeding

Maternal mouthbrooder (harem) · Moderate

Maternal mouthbrooder, ideally one male with at least 3 females; the female carries the eggs for around 3-4 weeks and does not eat meanwhile.

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

10-30 eggs per spawn, held in the female's mouth for about 3-4 weeks.

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 – Mozambique shore
Rivers and lakesLake Malawi (eastern coast, Mozambique)
HabitatTransition zones where rocks meet sand
Native rangeAbout 60 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the powder blue

A powder-blue mbuna that is less aggressive than most; named after the aquarium fish trader Ross Socolof.

This mbuna was described in 1974 and named in honour of Ross Socolof, a well-known figure in the American fish trade. Its powder-blue colour and relatively calm nature made it a popular community mbuna. An albino form is also widely bred.

First described by Johnson in 1974. Named for Named after American aquarium fish trader Ross Socolof.

  • Both sexes are pale blue, and many have a black edge to the dorsal fin.
  • It is considered one of the more peaceful mbuna.
  • Females brood eggs and fry in their mouths.

Sources

14 facts checked with sources