Not furry, but we like them anyway.
Yellow-tail Acei
Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei' (not yet formally described)
Also called Acei, Yellow tail acei, Gephyrochromis acei (trade name)
From Lake Malawi, East Africa: the western shore, including Nkhata Bay, Senga Bay, Ngara, Ruarwe, Bandawe and Karonga, around sandy and rocky shores with sunken wood.12
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Slender mbuna cichlid
A streamlined cichlid with a purple-blue body and a contrasting bright yellow tail. It has flat, scraper-like teeth suited to grazing algae off wood and stone. Males grow larger and carry more, brighter egg-spots.12
Personality what they are like
Mild-mannered for a mbuna. Males hold small territories but are far less pushy than most relatives, so it suits a calmer Malawi community.12
Daily activity how busy a day looks
An active open-water swimmer that likes to move about in a group.12
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Regular water changes in hard, alkaline water; a sandy floor with rock caves and, optionally, some driftwood if the water is well buffered.1
Home where they are happiest
A tank of around 120 cm (48 in) length or more, sand substrate, rock piles and open swimming space. Temperature 24-28 °C, pH 7.6-8.8, hardness 10-25 dGH.1
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Mainly plant-based. Spirulina flakes, blanched spinach, nori and a good African cichlid food, with some live or frozen extras; avoid red meats.12
Company who they like around
Keep in a group with one male to three or more females. Good with moderately calm cichlids such as Aulonocara and Copadichromis; keep the yellow-tail and white-tail forms apart so they do not interbreed.1
The story where it all began
The acei has been popular with Malawi cichlid keepers for decades even though it still has no formal scientific description. Its genus has shifted between Pseudotropheus and Gephyrochromis over the years, and two main tail-colour forms are kept in the hobby.12
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
It is the only mbuna known to feed exclusively on algae and tiny organisms growing on sunken wood.1
- 2
Around submerged logs it gathers in schools of 30 to 50 fish, but in rocky areas groups are much smaller.2
- 3
There is also a white-tailed form, found at Ngara.2
- 4
Females brood eggs in their mouth for about three to four weeks.1
Recognised by the official bits
- Taxonomy
- Undescribed species; usually listed as Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei' and sometimes sold as Gephyrochromis; a mbuna cichlid1
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Yellow-tail Acei. 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.
- Seriously Fish: Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei' seriouslyfish.comused for range, size, care, water, diet, behaviour, forms, breeding, taxonomy
- Wikipedia: Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei' en.wikipedia.orgused for size, colour forms, teeth, schooling, diet, temperament
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.