Ice Blue Cichlid

The Ice Blue Cichlid comes from a small area of southern Lake Malawi. Fortunately, breeders keep this fish available to the aquarium hobby; the colors are a unique light blue and yellow to red. Ice Blue Cichlids are hardy and moderately aggressive, similar to peacock cichlids in size and temperament. We also like the ice blue cichlid because the scientific name is not credited to a famous ichthyologist or zoologist, but a humble aquarium hobbyist from Germany named Alfons Greshake.

NOTE: These fish vary in color. The body is a consistent blue as they mature, but fin highlights vary from yellow to red. Pictured here is the yellow variation.

Quick Facts

Care Guide

Tank setup: Use a sand or crushed-coral bottom and stack plenty of rockwork with caves and hiding spots so each male can claim a territory and others can escape. Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika cichlids need hard, alkaline water; crushed coral or aragonite sand helps hold the pH up.

Feeding: Mbuna are mostly plant eaters. Feed a vegetable-based flake or pellet once or twice a day, and avoid high-protein foods, which can upset their digestion.

Tankmates: Keep mbuna with other mbuna of similar size and temperament, stocked in a group to spread out aggression. Avoid mixing them with peaceful peacocks and haps unless the tank is large, and avoid closely related species that look alike, which can crossbreed.

Good to know: Mbuna stay calmer when the tank is slightly crowded and well decorated, which keeps any one fish from dominating.