Auratus cichlid care
Melanochromis auratus · Southern Lake Malawi, Africa
Auratus cichlids are mbuna from Lake Malawi: females and young are bright yellow with black and white stripes, and the dominant male turns dark brown or black with pale stripes.
- Tank size
- 55 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 73 to 82 °F (23 to 28 °C)
- Group size
- 4 or more
- Temperament
- Aggressive
- Adult size
- 4.3 in
- pH
- 7.6 to 8.6
- Hardness (GH)
- 10 to 20 dGH
- Lifespan
- 5 to 10 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Moderate
In a 55 gallon
48¼ × 12¾ × 21 in outsideHow to keep auratus cichlids
Auratus cichlids are mbuna from Lake Malawi: females and young are bright yellow with black and white stripes, and the dominant male turns dark brown or black with pale stripes. They are among the most aggressive mbuna. Keep one male with several females in a 55 gallon or larger tank full of rocks, with hard, alkaline water and only other robust Lake Malawi cichlids.
Diet: Omnivore: cichlid pellets with spirulina, vegetables, some frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Middle of the tank.
Auratus 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.
Every likely tankmate in our list comes with a caution for auratus cichlids. These can share a large tank if you watch them closely:
Demasoni cichlid: Auratus cichlids and demasoni cichlids are both aggressive and may fight.
Red zebra cichlid: Auratus cichlids and red zebra cichlids are both aggressive and may fight.
Kenyi cichlid: Auratus cichlids and kenyi cichlids are both aggressive and may fight.
Saulosi cichlid: Auratus cichlids are aggressive and may fight with saulosi cichlids.
Peacock cichlid: Auratus cichlids are aggressive and may fight with peacock cichlids.
Rusty cichlid: Auratus cichlids are aggressive and may fight with rusty cichlids.
Electric blue hap: Auratus cichlids are aggressive and may fight with electric blue haps.
Yellow lab cichlid: Auratus cichlids are aggressive and may fight with yellow lab cichlids.
Keep apart
Neon tetra: Auratus cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as neon tetras.
Cardinal tetra: Auratus cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as cardinal tetras.
Black neon tetra: Auratus cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as black neon tetras.
Green neon tetra: Auratus cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as green neon tetras.
Ember tetra: Auratus cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as ember tetras.
Glowlight tetra: Auratus cichlids are aggressive towards peaceful fish such as glowlight tetras.
What an auratus cichlid tank needs
A tank of 55 US gallons or more (such as the 55 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon QuietFlow Canister Filter 200
Rated by the maker for up to 55 US gal, which covers a 55 gallon auratus 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 auratus cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon Pro 150
Auratus cichlids need 73 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 auratus 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 73 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 auratus cichlid problems
- Males kill rivals and harass lone females; keep one male with several females.
- Malawi bloat follows high-protein diets; 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: Melanochromis auratus. 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.
- Auratus cichlid Vlad Butsky from San Jose, CA, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Demasoni cichlid lee Nachtigal, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Red zebra cichlid Maha Dinesh, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Kenyi cichlid Ged (Wikimedia Commons), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Saulosi cichlid Gerard Delany, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Peacock cichlid Xav84800, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rusty cichlid Gerard Delany, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Electric blue hap The Evil Spartan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Yellow lab cichlid Julian Matz, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cardinal tetra CHUCAO, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Green neon tetra Sascha Biedermann, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ember tetra Klaus Rudloff, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight tetra gonzalovalenzuela; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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