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Encyclopedia / African Cichlids / Red cheek mbuna
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Variations

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Red cheek mbuna

Tropheops sp. 'red cheek' · Red cheek, Tropheops red cheek, Tropheops, Red cheek cichlid

Aggressive and territorial; keep in a large rocky mbuna tank with plenty of caves.

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UnknownAdult size ?
UnknownTemperature ?
UnknownpH ?
UnknownSmallest tank ?
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Tank mates
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This one is best kept on its own, or with its own kind.

Not recommended
  • Red cheek mbuna is aggressive and will bully peaceful neon tetra.
  • Rift lake cichlids like red cheek mbuna need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • Red cheek mbuna is aggressive and will bully peaceful cardinal tetra.
  • Rift lake cichlids like red cheek mbuna need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Not recommended
  • Red cheek mbuna is aggressive and will bully peaceful black neon tetra.
  • Rift lake cichlids like red cheek mbuna need hard, alkaline water and a busy, cichlid-only tank.
Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ?Unknown
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

Aggressive and territorial; keep in a large rocky mbuna tank with plenty of caves.

  • 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

MaleSilvery with red cheek and fin edges
FemaleGrey with fainter red
TipMales are brighter and show red cheeks
How hard to tellHard

Health

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

Breeding

Maternal mouthbrooder (harem) · Moderate

Maternal mouthbrooder (females brood the eggs in the mouth). Holding time and group ratio not sourced.

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
Rivers and lakesLake Malawi
HabitatRocky shoreline
Native rangeAbout 200 km across
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The story of the red cheek mbuna

An undescribed Tropheops from Likoma Island in Lake Malawi, related to Tropheops tropheops and named for its red cheek. It has been introduced to Thumbi West Island, and similar 'red cheek' forms from elsewhere are sold under the same name.

This is an undescribed Tropheops known in the trade as 'Tropheops sp. red cheek'. Tropheops are tough algae-grazing mbuna, and many forms remain without formal names. It is sold under various local names depending on collecting site.

  • Tropheops have short, steep snouts suited to scraping algae off rocks.
  • Many Tropheops forms are still waiting for a scientific description.
  • Males are often much more colourful than females.

Sources

5 facts checked with sources