Kenyi Cichlid care guide
Kenyi Cichlid (Maylandia lombardoi) — minimum tank 350 L, temperature 24-27 °C, pH 7.8-8.6.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Maylandia lombardoi ("Kenyi") is a strongly sexually dichromatic mbuna from the Mbenji Island and Nkhomo Reef area of Lake Malawi. Adult males are vivid yellow, while females and juveniles are pale blue with dark vertical bars — the inverse of most mbuna patterns. Adults reach about 15 cm.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Maylandia
- Scientific name: Maylandia lombardoi
- Common synonyms: Lombardoi, Metriaclima lombardoi
Habitat
Endemic to the rocky shore (mbuna zone) of Lake Malawi in the African Rift Valley, where it lives over wave-washed boulder slopes. The lake is exceptionally hard and alkaline — pH 7.8-8.6, KH 6-15 — and warm year round. The species is highly site-attached and territorial males defend small rock caves.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 350 L (92.5 US gal)
- Adult size: 12-15 cm
- Temperature: 24-27 °C (75-81 °F)
- pH: 7.8-8.6
- GH: 10-20 °dGH
- Water flow: medium
- Lifespan: 6-10 years
Diet
In the wild it grazes the aufwuchs layer of algae, biofilm and associated micro-invertebrates that coats the rocks. In aquaria a vegetable-rich diet of spirulina and algae-based cichlid pellets, blanched vegetables and occasional frozen brine shrimp is appropriate; high-protein foods such as bloodworm should be avoided to prevent "Malawi bloat".
Compatibility
Aggressive and territorial; best kept in a large mbuna community with several other rock-dwelling species so that aggression is dispersed. A typical stocking is one male to several females (1:3-4). Avoid mixing with very different lake faunas (e.g., New World cichlids) and with similar-coloured congeners that may hybridise.
Breeding
A polygamous maternal mouthbrooder. The male defends a small rock territory, displays to passing females and entices each to spawn on a flat surface; the female collects the eggs into her mouth immediately and incubates them for about three weeks before releasing free-swimming fry.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: see species page. The Lake Malawi cichlid radiation has been intensively assessed; most mbuna are evaluated and many are categorised Least Concern, though species with restricted ranges along single sub-shores are more vulnerable.
Kenyi Cichlid (Maylandia lombardoi) Breeding Guide
Overview
Maylandia lombardoi, the Kenyi, is a highly aggressive mbuna from Lake Malawi and, like most mbuna, a maternal mouthbrooder. It is notable for its reverse sexual dichromatism, in which the dominant males are yellow and the females retain the juvenile blue pattern.
Sexing
Sexing is based on this reverse colour pattern: dominant mature males turn bright yellow with faint brown bars and egg spots on the anal fin, while females and juvenile males are pale white-blue with several blue-black vertical bands extending into the dorsal fin. Subdominant males may keep the female blue colour, so colour alone is not absolute.
Conditioning
Bring the females into condition with good feeding while holding the water stable and alkaline at a pH of about 8.0-8.5 and a temperature near 25-27 degrees Celsius (77-80 degrees Fahrenheit).
Breeding Setup
A tank of around 120 by 38 cm (a 48 by 15 inch aquarium) is an adequate size. Keep a single male with several females in a harem and furnish the tank with areas of open sand and flat rock surfaces to act as spawning sites.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
The male can be quite aggressive in his pursuits, which is the reason for the single-male harem. The female lays her eggs and takes them into her mouth, where they are fertilised by the male's anal-fin egg spots. While mouthbrooding, a female may defend a small territory and even assume the yellow colouration of males.
Egg & Fry Care
The female carries the eggs for around three weeks before releasing the free-swimming fry. The fry will accept newly hatched brine shrimp or microworm immediately after they become free-swimming.
Common Challenges
If a holding female is overly stressed she may spit out the brood prematurely or eat the eggs, so she should be left undisturbed. The species' strong aggression makes adequate tank size and a proper harem essential, and only one male per species should be kept to manage fighting. Because subdominant males adopt the female blue colour, an aquarist building a harem can be misled into pairing two males, so confirming sex by the yellow dominant colour and the presence of anal-fin egg spots is important before committing a group to breeding.