Not furry, but we like them anyway.
Saulosi Cichlid
Chindongo saulosi (Konings, 1990); syn. Pseudotropheus saulosi
Also called Saulosi, Chindongo saulosi
From Endemic to Lake Malawi, East Africa: known only from Taiwan Reef, where large groups live on clean rock in the upper reef.12
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Small, elongated dwarf mbuna
A compact mbuna in which every fish starts out yellow. Mature dominant males turn blue with dark vertical bars, while females stay bright yellow.2
Personality what they are like
A sociable species with a clear pecking order: males sort themselves into ranks and only the top one wears full blue.2
Daily activity how busy a day looks
Active grazer of rock surfaces, used to the strong current of the upper reef.1
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Keep clean, well-oxygenated, hard and alkaline water with good water flow, plus lots of rocks.1
Home where they are happiest
Rocky aquarium with sediment-free stones and good current, temperature 23-27 C, pH 7.4-8.4, hardness about 7-30 dH. No reliable minimum tank size found.1
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Picks and nibbles loose material from the growth on rocks in the wild; offer a grazer diet rich in vegetable food.1
Company who they like around
Lives in large groups in the wild; keep a group with several females per male.12
The story where it all began
Ad Konings described the species in 1990 and named it after Saulos Mwale, a Malawian diver who collected many of the first fish. Captive-bred fish are now being used to help restock Taiwan Reef.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
All saulosi are born yellow; only maturing males turn blue.2
- 2
Some young males keep their yellow colour to avoid trouble with the dominant male.2
- 3
Females carry eggs in their mouths for about 13 to 18 days until the fry can swim.2
- 4
Aquarium-bred fish are being returned to Taiwan Reef to support the wild population.2
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Critically Endangered (assessed 22 May 2018)1
- Taxonomy
- Described by Ad Konings in 1990; now placed in Chindongo by FishBase1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Saulosi Cichlid. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amounts once or twice a dayevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Water changeAbout 25% of the waterevery week
- Water testevery week
- Glass cleanevery week
- Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FishBase: Chindongo saulosi fishbase.seused for taxonomy, size, water, habitat, IUCN, diet, naming
- Wikipedia: Pseudotropheus saulosi en.wikipedia.orgused for colouring, behaviour, breeding, history, fun facts
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.