Pundamilia pundamilia

Pundamilia pundamilia is a haplochromine cichlid that lives along the rocky shores of Lake Victoria. Males carry bold black vertical bars on a metallic bluish-white background; females are a plain yellowish brown. It reaches about 10 cm. In some parts of the lake it lives side by side with the red-male Pundamilia nyererei; the way the females of the two species choose males of different colors, and the differences in underwater light, have been studied extensively in speciation research. Because wild populations are affected by the lake's changing conditions, pure lines in the aquarium should be preserved and not hybridized with other Victoria species.

• At least 150 liters and 100–120 cm of length for one male and 3–4 females.
• Rock piles, caves and zones that break up lines of sight.
• pH 7.5–8.5, moderately hard water; a 25–30% water change every week.
• Sand substrate.

Omnivorous. Use cichlid granules and spirulina-based flakes as the staple; vary the diet with frozen brine shrimp, mysis and cyclops.

Males are aggressive toward each other and toward similar-looking fish. The female is a mouthbrooder and, for a few days, takes her fry back into her mouth when danger threatens.

Good companions: Robust African cichlids of similar size and different appearance, and Synodontis catfish.

Avoid: Pundamilia nyererei and other Victoria haplochromines (they hybridize), small fish, shrimp.