Scientific Name: Astatotilapia calliptera
Pronunciation: Astato-til-ah-pia cal-ip-teera
Trade Name(s): None
Distribution: Lake Chilwa, river system. Lake Malawi, Chiuta; Lower Zambezi, Buzi, Pungwe and Save River waterways.
Habitat: Shallow waterways where there is plenty of vegetation
Diet: Invertebrates, plants, algae, fry & plankton
Sexing: Males are more brightly colored. Olive to yellow in breeding dress.
Maximum Size: 15cm
Temperature: 24 to 26c
pH: 7.5 to 9.0
Water Hardness: 300-400ppm
Availability: Not a common cichlid in Oz, Not always available. Probably due to the males taking so long to color & aquarists losing interest before they show their stunning breeding dress.
Page # Malawi Cichlids In Their Natural Habitat Vol 4: 283
Retail Value: $15 - $20 @ 4-5cm