Acei cichlid care
Pseudotropheus sp. "acei" · Sandy and rocky shores of Lake Malawi, Africa
Acei are violet-blue Lake Malawi cichlids with a yellow tail, among the calmest mbuna, and unusual for mbuna in swimming up into open water.
- Tank size
- 55 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 74 to 82 °F (23 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- 6 or more
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 6 in
- pH
- 7.5 to 8.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 10 to 20 dGH
- Lifespan
- 6 to 10 years
- Diet
- Herbivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 55 gallon
48¼ × 12¾ × 21 in outsideHow to keep acei cichlids
Acei are violet-blue Lake Malawi cichlids with a yellow tail, among the calmest mbuna, and unusual for mbuna in swimming up into open water. Keep six or more in a 55 gallon or larger tank of hard, alkaline water with rock and open space, with other peaceful Lake Malawi cichlids.
Diet: Herbivore: spirulina and vegetable-based cichlid foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Acei cichlid tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Giant danio
6 in · 55+ gal · 72–79 °F
Three-spot (blue) gourami
6 in · 29+ gal · 72–82 °F
Firemouth cichlid
6 in · 40+ gal · 75–84 °F
Peacock cichlid
6 in · 55+ gal · 75–82 °F
Cuckoo catfish
6 in · 55+ gal · 75–81 °F
Convict julie
5.1 in · 30+ gal · 75–80 °F
Petricola catfish
4.5 in · 30+ gal · 73–79 °F
Banded gourami
4 in · 30+ gal · 72–82 °F
Keep apart
White cloud mountain minnow: No shared temperature: acei cichlids need 74 to 82 °F, white cloud mountain minnows 64 to 72 °F.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Cherry shrimp: Acei cichlids eat shrimp.
Amano shrimp: Acei cichlids eat shrimp.
Ghost shrimp: Acei cichlids eat shrimp.
African dwarf frog: African dwarf frogs are slow and get bullied or outcompeted by acei cichlids.
What an acei cichlid tank needs
A tank of 55 US gallons or more (such as the 55 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 200
Rated by the maker for up to 55 US gal, which covers a 55 gallon acei cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Seachem Tidal 55
Rated by the maker for up to 55 US gal, which covers a 55 gallon acei cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon Pro 150
Acei cichlids need 74 to 82 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding acei cichlids.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 74 to 82 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 55 gallon tank · Heaters for a 55 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common acei cichlid problems
- Soft or acidic water shortens their lives.
- Rich, meaty food brings on bloat; feed a plant-based pellet.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Pseudotropheus sp. "acei". Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Acei cichlid Toby Hudson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Giant danio Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three-spot (blue) gourami Peter Jung, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Firemouth cichlid H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Peacock cichlid Xav84800, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cuckoo catfish Mario Rubio García, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Convict julie Regani, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Petricola catfish Nerezza, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Banded gourami Sandipan Das, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- White cloud mountain minnow Petrtyl, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cherry shrimp TheJammingYam, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Amano shrimp Stefanie Leuker, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ghost shrimp Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- African dwarf frog Stuart Halliday, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid William Kreijkes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
.JPG){kind=link}
.jpeg){kind=link}
.jpg){kind=link}
,_2017.jpg){kind=link}
