Photo: Vlad Butsky from San Jose, CA, USA (CC BY 2.0) — via Wikimedia Commons
Auratus Cichlid (Melanochromis auratus)
A boldly striped Lake Malawi mbuna with a dramatic colour reversal at maturity — one of the most recognisable African cichlids in the hobby.
Will it live with a Auratus Cichlid?
We compare each fish against your auratus cichlid on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Bearded Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Bearded Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Blue Turbo Snail✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Medium care · 25–30 °C (77–86 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 25–28 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Corydoras Catfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Corydoras Catfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Japanese Trapdoor Snail✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5 cm · Easy care · 10–28 °C (50–82 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Marbled Hoplo✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 14 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 23–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotfin Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Spotfin Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotted Talking Catfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 15 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Sterbai Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6.5 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Sterbai Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Upside-down Catfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 23–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Boesemani Rainbowfish⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 11 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Expect Auratus Cichlid to harass Boesemani Rainbowfish at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Boesemani Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bristlenose Pleco⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 23–30 °C (73–86 °F)
- Different pH ranges (7.6–8.8 vs 6–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Clown Rasbora⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 10 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Different pH ranges (7.6–8.8 vs 5.5–7); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Expect Auratus Cichlid to harass Clown Rasbora at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Clown Rasbora in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Giant Betta⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Different pH ranges (7.6–8.8 vs 5–7); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Water hardness preferences differ (Auratus Cichlid 10–25 vs Giant Betta 1–8 dGH).
- Auratus Cichlid is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Giant Betta is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Giant Danio⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 20–27 °C (68–81 °F)
- pH preferences only just meet (Auratus Cichlid 7.6–8.8 vs Giant Danio 6.5–7.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- Auratus Cichlid is aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Giant Danio — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Giant Danio in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Giant Kuhli Loach⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- pH preferences only just meet (Auratus Cichlid 7.6–8.8 vs Giant Kuhli Loach 6–7.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keyhole Cichlid⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Different pH ranges (7.6–8.8 vs 6–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Expect Auratus Cichlid to harass Keyhole Cichlid at times; give dense cover and watch them at feeding.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Kuhli Loach⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- pH preferences only just meet (Auratus Cichlid 7.6–8.8 vs Kuhli Loach 5.5–7) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- One likes softer water and the other harder (10–25 vs 1–8 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Mascara Barb⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 20–25 °C (68–77 °F)
- Different pH ranges (7.6–8.8 vs 6–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Auratus Cichlid is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Mascara Barb is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
- Your 190 L tank is below the ~200 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Mascara Barb in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Medusa Pleco⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 26–30 °C (79–86 °F)
- pH preferences only just meet (Auratus Cichlid 7.6–8.8 vs Medusa Pleco 6.4–7.4) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Molly⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 10 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Auratus Cichlid and Molly are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add molly in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Murray River Rainbowfish⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 11 cm · Easy care · 15–26 °C (59–79 °F)
- Auratus Cichlid and Murray River Rainbowfish are close in size, but the aggressive one tends to dominate — add murray river rainbowfish in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Keep Murray River Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Pearl Gourami⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- pH preferences only just meet (Auratus Cichlid 7.6–8.8 vs Pearl Gourami 6–7.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- Pearl Gourami is slow and long-finned; a busy auratus cichlid shoal tends to nip at it. Keep auratus cichlid in a proper group of 6+ and watch them closely.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Rubber Lip Pleco⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Easy care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Different pH ranges (7.6–8.8 vs 6.5–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotted Rubbernose Pleco⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- pH preferences only just meet (Auratus Cichlid 7.6–8.8 vs Spotted Rubbernose Pleco 6.5–7.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Striped Eel Loach⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 12 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Different pH ranges (7.6–8.8 vs 6–7.2); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Auratus Cichlid and Alligator Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Size gap is too large (250 vs 11 cm): Alligator Gar will treat Auratus Cichlid as food.
- Auratus Cichlid is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Alligator Gar is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
- Your 190 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Auratus Cichlid and Clown Knifefish will hold territory and clash.
- Auratus Cichlid is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory clown knifefish — it will be eaten.
- pH preferences only just meet (Auratus Cichlid 7.6–8.8 vs Clown Knifefish 6–7.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- Your 190 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Fire Eel⛔ Not recommendedSemi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Auratus Cichlid and Fire Eel will hold territory and clash.
- Fire Eel (100 cm) is big enough to swallow the 11 cm Auratus Cichlid whole.
- pH preferences only just meet (Auratus Cichlid 7.6–8.8 vs Fire Eel 6.5–7.5) — target the overlap and acclimate slowly.
- Your 190 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Koi⛔ Not recommendedPeaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
- Auratus Cichlid is bite-sized to a 90 cm koi — it will be eaten.
- Koi is slow and long-finned; a busy auratus cichlid shoal tends to nip at it. Keep auratus cichlid in a proper group of 6+ and watch them closely.
- Your 190 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Mekong Giant Catfish⛔ Not recommendedSemi-aggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 20–28 °C (68–82 °F)
- Auratus Cichlid and Mekong Giant Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Different pH ranges (7.6–8.8 vs 6.5–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Auratus Cichlid is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Mekong Giant Catfish is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
- Your 190 L tank is below the ~100000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Auratus Cichlid and Redtail Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Size gap is too large (120 vs 11 cm): Redtail Catfish will treat Auratus Cichlid as food.
- Different pH ranges (7.6–8.8 vs 6–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Your 190 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Auratus Cichlid and Spotted Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Auratus Cichlid is bite-sized to a 90 cm predatory spotted gar — it will be eaten.
- Different pH ranges (7.6–8.8 vs 6.5–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Auratus Cichlid is a notorious fin-nipper — even though Spotted Gar is larger, an active shoal will harass its trailing fins. Only safe in a full group of 6+ with plenty of cover.
- Your 190 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
- Auratus Cichlid and Wels Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Size gap is too large (300 vs 11 cm): Wels Catfish will treat Auratus Cichlid as food.
- Different pH ranges (7.6–8.8 vs 6.5–7.5); doable if you sit in the shared band, but not ideal long-term.
- Your 190 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Auratus Cichlid in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.
Auratus Cichlid care specs
- Care level
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Max size
- 11 cm (4.3 in)
- Min tank size
- 190 L (50.2 gal)
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- pH
- 7.6–8.8
- Hardness
- 10–25 dGH
- Lifespan
- 5–8 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Swim level
- Middle
- Group size
- 6+ (shoaling)
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Lake Malawi, East Africa — rocky shoreline zones (mbuna habitat)
What is an Auratus Cichlid?
The auratus cichlid (Melanochromis auratus) is a mbuna — a rock-dwelling cichlid from the shallow, boulder-strewn shorelines of Lake Malawi in East Africa. It reaches about 11 cm (4.3 in) and is immediately recognisable by its contrasting horizontal stripe pattern. What makes it particularly striking is the dramatic colour reversal between sexes and life stages: juveniles and females wear a vivid golden-yellow base with black and white stripes, while dominant males darken completely to blue-black with reversed lighter stripes. Few cichlids display such a clear sex-based colour transformation, and that visual drama has made the auratus a long-standing favourite among Malawi enthusiasts. The species is rated medium care difficulty — not because water chemistry is complicated, but because its aggressive temperament demands careful tank planning. It is best suited to experienced cichlid keepers who can manage that assertive territorial behaviour from day one.
Where do Auratus Cichlids come from?
Wild auratus cichlids are endemic to Lake Malawi, one of the African Great Lakes straddling Malawi, Tanzania and Mozambique. They inhabit the rocky, sediment-free littoral zone — a habitat type shared by dozens of other mbuna species that scrape biofilm, algae and invertebrates from rock surfaces. This feeding strategy is reflected in their subtly protrusible jaws and robust build. The lake’s water is consistently warm, very hard and highly alkaline; pH rarely dips below 7.5 in their natural range and typically sits around 8.0–8.5, with hardness well into double-digit dGH figures. Replicating that chemistry is non-negotiable in captivity — any slide toward soft, acidic water stresses the fish and suppresses immune function. Almost all auratus cichlids in the hobby are captive-bred, but their water-chemistry and territorial requirements remain firmly anchored to their rocky, high-pH East African home.
What tank size and setup does an Auratus Cichlid need?
The minimum tank size is 190 L (50 gal), and that figure assumes a well-managed, single-species or carefully chosen mbuna community. A larger footprint — 300 L (80 gal) or more — gives you meaningful room to break lines of sight and dilute aggression. Longer tanks are preferable to tall ones; auratus patrol territory horizontally across the rock face, not vertically through open water.
Decoration is as important as volume. Build a dense rockwork architecture using stacked slate, limestone or similar hard rock — avoid rocks that leach acid. Create caves, crevices and overhangs that give females and subdominant fish places to retreat. Leave open sandy areas in the foreground, as auratus occasionally sift through substrate. Crushed coral or aragonite sand helps buffer the pH naturally. Minimal or no planting is traditional (plants are mostly destroyed in a typical mbuna tank), though hardy species like Anubias or Vallisneria can survive in less disturbed corners. Strong filtration is essential: a heavily stocked Malawi tank produces significant waste, so aim for a turnover of at least 8–10 times the tank volume per hour.
What water parameters do Auratus Cichlids need?
- Temperature: 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) — a stable heater is required.
- pH: 7.6–8.8, ideally maintained around 8.0–8.2.
- Hardness: 10–25 dGH; hard water is not optional.
Crushed coral substrate or a bag of crushed coral in the filter serves as a reliable pH buffer. Test pH and hardness weekly when first setting up a Malawi tank, as soft tap water may require additional buffering with commercially available Malawi salt mixes. Stability is the priority: a pH that holds steadily at 8.0 is far better than one that swings between 7.5 and 8.5. Perform weekly water changes of 25–30 %, and always match the temperature and pH of new water before adding it to avoid stress-related disease outbreaks.
What do Auratus Cichlids eat?
Auratus cichlids are listed as omnivores in the hobby, but their wild diet skews heavily toward plant matter — algae, biofilm and incidental invertebrates scraped from rock surfaces. In captivity the practical approach is a high-quality spirulina-based cichlid pellet or flake as the daily staple, supplemented occasionally with blanched vegetables, spirulina wafers or frozen brine shrimp and daphnia. Avoid heavy protein-only diets: mbuna are prone to a potentially fatal condition called Malawi bloat when fed too much meat-heavy food. Feed small amounts two to three times daily, only what the fish consume in two or three minutes. Remove uneaten food promptly to keep water quality high.
Are Auratus Cichlids aggressive — and what fish can live with them?
Auratus cichlids are unambiguously aggressive — one of the more belligerent mbuna species, and honest about it. Males are intensely territorial, especially toward other males of the same or similarly coloured species. Females and juveniles are also notably assertive by community-fish standards. This is not a species for a peaceful community tank.
The classic management strategy is a species-heavy Malawi mbuna setup: keep one dominant male with at least five females (minimum group size of six), and fill the tank with enough additional mbuna species to spread and dilute the aggression. Choose tank-mates that are similarly sized and comparably assertive — other Melanochromis species, robust Pseudotropheus or Labidochromis varieties — but avoid species with similar colouration to the auratus, which triggers territorial attacks. Never keep two auratus males in the same tank unless it is very large with complex rockwork and you are prepared for serious conflict. For a full breakdown of compatible and incompatible pairings, see Auratus Cichlid tank mates.
How do you tell male and female Auratus Cichlids apart?
Sexing is straightforward once the fish mature, because the colour reversal is one of the most dramatic examples of sexual dichromatism in the hobby. Females and juveniles are bright golden-yellow with bold black horizontal stripes and a white stripe above them — the classic “golden” pattern that gives the species its common name. Mature males progressively darken and invert this pattern: the body becomes dark blue-black while the stripes lighten to yellow or white. Males also develop a prominent egg spot (ocellus) on the anal fin, used in mouthbrooding courtship. The colour shift is hormone-driven and influenced by social dominance; in a group where no true male is present, a dominant female may darken slightly, though she typically will not complete the full reversal.
How do Auratus Cichlids breed?
Auratus cichlids are maternal mouthbrooders, which is the standard reproductive strategy for Lake Malawi mbuna. When conditions are right — stable water chemistry, adequate territory and a compatible pair — spawning happens readily in a well-maintained tank. The male courts the female with lateral displays and fin-spreading near a flat rock or open sandy patch. After spawning, the female collects and holds the fertilised eggs in her mouth, where she incubates them for roughly three weeks without eating. Once released, the fry are surprisingly capable and will accept crushed flake or micro-pellets immediately.
Breeding management requires planning. Remove heavily harassed females to a separate tank to hold and release their fry safely; a heavily stressed female may spit the eggs prematurely. Fry are relatively large and easy to raise on spirulina-based fry food. Separate young males before they colour up and begin fighting with the dominant male.
What diseases are common in Auratus Cichlids?
The primary disease concern in mbuna tanks is Malawi bloat — a digestive condition linked to feeding too much protein-rich food and poor water quality. Affected fish appear swollen in the abdomen, become lethargic and stop eating; prevention through a plant-based diet and excellent water quality is far more effective than treatment. Other typical cichlid ailments include ich (Ichthyophthirius multifiliis — white salt-grain spots), hole-in-the-head disease (hexamita-linked pitting, often associated with poor nutrition or water quality), and bacterial infections from wounds sustained during territorial fighting. All three are substantially prevented by the same fundamentals: stable, hard alkaline water, clean filtration, regular water changes and appropriate diet. Quarantine new fish for at least two weeks before introducing them to an established Malawi tank.
Health note: medication dosing and disease diagnosis are beyond the scope of a care profile. For sick fish, confirm symptoms against a reputable veterinary or fish-health source before medicating.
How long do Auratus Cichlids live?
A well-maintained auratus cichlid lives 5–8 years. Achieving the upper end of that range requires consistent water quality within the 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) range and appropriate hard, alkaline chemistry, a sensible mbuna-appropriate diet, and a social environment managed to minimise chronic stress from aggression. Fish that spend years being relentlessly harassed, held in poor water, or fed a high-protein diet rarely approach the 8-year mark. Get the tank setup right from the start and these bold, colourful cichlids reward the effort with years of genuinely dramatic behaviour and display.
Frequently asked questions
Why did my Auratus Cichlid change colour?
The colour reversal is a normal part of male maturation. Juveniles and females are vivid yellow with black and white horizontal stripes; as a male matures he progressively darkens to blue-black with lighter-coloured stripes. The shift is driven by hormones and social dominance and is permanent once complete.
Can Auratus Cichlids live with other African cichlids?
Yes, but tank selection is important. House them with similarly sized, robust Malawi mbuna that can hold their own — avoid smaller or more timid species. A species-heavy, overcrowded Malawi setup (190 L minimum, heavily decorated with rocks) dilutes aggression. One male per group; multiple males will fight intensely.
What you need to keep a auratus cichlid
The baseline is a heated, filtered 190 L+ tank: a reliable heater to hold 23–28 °C (73–82 °F), a gentle filter that won't batter a auratus cichlid in the current, and a tight-fitting lid. Cycle the tank fully before adding any fish.
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