Labeotropheus is a small genus of cichlid

Cichlid

Cichlids are fishes from the family Cichlidae in the order Perciformes. Cichlids are members of a group known as the Labroidei along with the wrasses , damselfish , and surfperches . This family is both large and diverse. At least 1,300 species have been scientifically described, making it one of...

 fish

Fish

Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...

 endemic to Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi , is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the Great Rift Valley system of East Africa. This lake, the third largest in Africa and the eighth largest lake in the world, is located between Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania...

 in eastern Africa. It includes at least two species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

, each with a number of subspecies

Subspecies

Subspecies in biological classification, is either a taxonomic rank subordinate to species, ora taxonomic unit in that rank . A subspecies cannot be recognized in isolation: a species will either be recognized as having no subspecies at all or two or more, never just one...

 or races

Race (biology)

In biology, races are distinct genetically divergent populations within the same species with relatively small morphological and genetic differences. The populations can be described as ecological races if they arise from adaptation to different local habitats or geographic races when they are...

. Further taxonomic work is required to determine how many species exist. These cichlids are popular ornamental fish and are ideally suited to the cichlid aquarium. Like many Malawi cichlids, Labeotropheus species are algal grazers.

Species

• Blue mbuna
  Blue mbuna
  The blue mbuna is a species of freshwater fish in the Cichlidae family. It is found in Lake Malawi. Some of its mottled forms are sometimes known as marmelade cat....
  
  , Labeotropheus fuelleborni Ahl, 1926.
• Scrapermouth mbuna
  Scrapermouth mbuna
  The scrapermouth mbuna is a species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Its natural habitat is freshwater lakes.-References:...
  
  , Labeotropheus trewavasae Fryer, 1956.

In the aquarium

Like all cichlids from Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi , is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the Great Rift Valley system of East Africa. This lake, the third largest in Africa and the eighth largest lake in the world, is located between Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania...

 these cichlids are best maintained in hard, alkaline water. Labeotropheus are best kept in aquariums with volumes greater than 120 l

Litre

pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...

 (31.5 gallon

Gallon

The gallon is a measure of volume. Historically it has had many different definitions, but there are three definitions in current use: the imperial gallon which is used in the United Kingdom and semi-officially within Canada, the United States liquid gallon and the lesser used United States dry...

). The aquarium should be decorated with rocks, although caves can also be easily created from terracotta pots.