Kenyi cichlid
One of the few cichlids where the male and female look like different species and the male is the yellow one. It is also among the most consistently aggressive mbuna in the trade, and the two facts together account for most of the tanks it has wrecked.
Quick profile
- Scientific name
- Maylandia lombardoi
- Adult size
- 11–15 cm (4.3–5.9 in)
- Lifespan
- 5–8 years
- Temperature
- 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- pH
- 7.8–8.6
- Hardness
- 12–20 °dGH
- Minimum tank
- 300 L (79 US gal)
- Minimum length
- 120 cm
- Swimming zone
- All levels
- Social
- Harem — at least 5
- Diet
- Herbivore
- Overall confidence
- moderate confidence
What keeping this species involves
Undemanding about water and food and difficult about everything else. It is a species for a tank built around it, and the reason it is rated here rather than lower is that it is sold as though it were not.
Sediment-free rocky shore around offshore islands, in shallow water with strong light and heavy algal growth.
Identity and names
- Common name
- Kenyi cichlid
- Scientific name
- Maylandia lombardoi
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Order
- Cichliformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Also sold as
- Maylandia lombardoi, Metriaclima lombardoi, Pseudotropheus lombardoi, golden zebra
- Former or synonymous names
- Metriaclima lombardoi, Pseudotropheus lombardoi
Adult size and growth
11–15 cm (4.3–5.9 in)
Typical lifespan in an aquarium: 5–8 years. Almost every animal sold in a shop is a juvenile, so the tank has to suit the size in the first line rather than the size in the bag.
Shape, which is what the compatibility engine reads instead of length alone: deep-bodied with a moderate. Assigned from what is typical of Cichlidae, not examined for this species.
Water and tank requirements
One of the few species where the footprint is set by how far a chased fish has to be able to run, rather than by the size of the fish doing the chasing.
Temperature (°C)
Scale: 0 to 36 °C.
pH (pH)
Scale: 4 to 9.5 pH.
Hardness (°dGH)
Scale: 0 to 30 °dGH.
Why these ranges: An offshore island population in open lake water, which is the hardest and most alkaline habitat any species in this batch occupies. The floor is set higher than the shore species for that reason.
Where these figures come from
Habitat class
Lake Malawi
A large rift lake — alkaline and well buffered, but considerably softer and less mineral-rich than Tanganyika.
Alkaline but not hard. The widespread advice to add large quantities of salt mix for Malawi cichlids overshoots the lake, and the pH matters more than the hardness does.
- Conductivity
- 200–280 µS/cm
- Flow
- low
- Dissolved oxygen
- near saturation
- Seasonality
- weak
These are figures for the KIND of water body, not measurements of this species. They are AquariumHQ’s summary of the general limnology and are given wide because the water is.
- TemperatureReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
- pHReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
- General hardnessThe conventional band, recorded as a convention
- Recorded as a trade convention rather than as a habitat statement. Lake Malawi runs at roughly 5–11 dGH, and this band sits entirely above it. The wider hobby convention of treating Malawi as hard water is the likely origin; AquariumHQ has not established a species-specific reason for the figure and does not present one.
| Requirement | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) | Stability matters more than hitting an exact figure. |
| pH | 7.8–8.6 | A stable pH outside the ideal band is usually better than an unstable one inside it. |
| General hardness | 12–20 °dGH | Check your supplier's published figure before choosing species. |
| Carbonate hardness | 12–18 °dKH | Buffering capacity — what stops the pH moving. |
| Minimum volume | 300 L (79 US gal) | A floor, not a recommendation. |
| Minimum footprint | 120 cm long × 45 cm deep | One of the few species where the footprint is set by how far a chased fish has to be able to run, rather than by the size of the fish doing the chasing. |
| Water flow | moderate | Match the outflow to this rather than to the filter's rating. |
| Lid required | Recommended | Reduces evaporation and prevents accidents. |
| Structure | Heavy rockwork with multiple exits from every space. A dead-end cave in this species' tank is a trap rather than a refuge. |
Behaviour
- Patrols a claimed area continuously and returns to it after being driven off, which is what makes disputes here run for weeks rather than minutes.
- Colour reverses with maturity in males, from the juvenile blue to full yellow, over a period of a few months.
Telling males from females
Adult males are bright yellow with dark vertical bars; adult females are pale blue with faint barring. Juveniles of both sexes are blue, so the yellow fish in the shop tank are the mature males.
Feeding
Grazes algal turf and takes the small invertebrates living in it. The vegetable requirement is real and the incidental protein does not need supplying separately.
- Diet type
- Herbivore
- Staples
- Spirulina flake, Vegetable cichlid pellets, Blanched spinach, Nori sheet
- Avoid
- Bloodworm, Beef heart
Breeding
- Strategy
- Maternal mouthbrooding, spawning on a cleaned flat rock
- Difficulty
- incidental
- Parental care
- mouthbrooding
Tankmates and compatibility
Assessments are derived from stored traits by the compatibility engine, with the reasoning shown. A verdict is a statement about probability, not a guarantee — individual temperament can override it.
| Towards | Risk | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Small fish | high | Anything that fits in the mouth is at risk once this species reaches adult size. |
| Adult dwarf shrimp | high | Cover reduces losses but rarely prevents them where the risk is high. |
| Shrimplets | near-certain | Determines whether a shrimp colony can grow rather than merely persist. |
| Snails | moderate | Applies to snails you wanted as well as snails you did not. |
| Long or trailing fins | frequent | Fin damage is an entry point for secondary infection. |
| Plants | consumes | Tough species such as Anubias and Java fern survive most grazers. |
Any pair in the catalogue can be assessed with the compatibility checker.
Welfare considerations
Points where the way this species is commonly sold or kept differs from what it actually needs.
- Frequently sold as a colourful addition to a mixed African tank. It is not an addition to anything; the tank has to be planned around what it does to other fish.
- A subordinate fish in a tank without escape routes shows no injury until late. Watch for a fish that has stopped feeding at the front, which precedes visible damage by a long way.
Problems to watch for
Most problems in a tank containing this species are general rather than species-specific. Start with the troubleshooting index and work from the observation rather than from a guess at the cause.
What AquariumHQ does not yet hold
Species-level disease susceptibility is modelled in the graph and is not yet populated. Health pages will not be published until each condition has veterinary sourcing, because health content written without evidence is the most harmful thing this product could publish. The gap is recorded in the coverage report.
Where it comes from
- Native range
- Lake Malawi — Mbenji Island and Nkhomo Reef only
- Habitat
- Sediment-free rocky shore around offshore islands, in shallow water with strong light and heavy algal growth.
What the checklists say
4 distribution statements retrieved from GBIF checklists. Establishment means is reproduced from the source where it states one, and left unstated where it does not — a record of presence is not a record of origin.
| Status | Places | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced | 3 | A checklist states the species arrived here with human help. That is not a statement that it is established, harmful or illegal. |
| Recorded as present, establishment means not stated | 1 | The source records the species as present and does not say whether it is native or introduced. AquariumHQ does not fill that in. |
No checklist AquariumHQ holds positively calls this species native anywhere, so the native range above rests on AquariumHQ’s own reading of the literature rather than on a cited checklist.
Evidence
Every stored value with the kind of support behind it and where to check it. Evidence type and confidence are separate axes: an editorial position held confidently and a measurement held tentatively are different things.
| Claim | Value | Evidence type | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| scientific name | Maylandia lombardoi | Observed / measured | high confidence | Catalogue of Life; GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| native range | Lake Malawi — Mbenji Island and Nkhomo Reef only | Observed / measured | moderate confidence | GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| adult size | 11–15 cm | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| lifespan | 5–8 years | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| temperature | 24–28 °C | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| ph | 7.8–8.6 pH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| general hardness | 12–20 °dGH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank volume | ≥ 300 L | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank length | ≥ 120 cm | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| carbonate hardness | 12–18 °dKH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum group size | ≥ 5 | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
Last reviewed 2026-08-10. Values labelled as an aquarium-literature consensus are AquariumHQ editorial positions rather than measurements — see how evidence is handled.
Why we say this
What each figure on this page rests on, and how far that is from being independently established.
Every figure on this page has a provenance. Open any claim to see what AquariumHQ holds for it, which sources say what, and what a claim of that kind actually needs. Different claims need different evidence: an accepted scientific name is settled by one authority, while a legal restriction needs a current primary instrument. A single source is often the right answer rather than a thin one.
scientific nameAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: accepted scientific name and classification — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. Checked against gbif on 2026-08-29. One authoritative backbone is what this class requires.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
native rangeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: where the species occurs — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. 4 distribution statements held from GBIF checklists — introduced in 3 country. Establishment means is reproduced from the source, never inferred from occurrence.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
adult sizeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: size a well-kept specimen reaches — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
lifespanAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
temperatureAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
phAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
general hardnessAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
minimum tank volumeAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
minimum tank lengthAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
carbonate hardnessAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
minimum group sizeAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: group size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
Guides relevant to this species
Chosen from this record's own traits rather than listed on every page.
- Predator and prey sizeIt takes fish that fit in its mouth, and its mouth grows with it.
- Territorial behaviourIt defends ground, and the shape of what it defends decides the tank more than the volume does.
- Scientific and trade namesThis species has been published under more than one accepted name.
- Wild conditions and aquarium recommendationsThe water band on this page is an AquariumHQ position with a stated reason, not a measurement of a river.
- How to read a compatibility verdictThis animal is recorded as nipping fins, which is one of the few compatibility factors with real reports behind it.
Group size and social behaviour
A male will kill a second male in anything short of a very large tank, and will kill a female he has finished with if she cannot get away. This is the species that most often justifies the advice to overstock a Malawi tank, and it is worth understanding why before following it.