Sam Borstein's Cichlid Page


Metriaclima sp. "elongatus chailosi"

Synonyms: Pseudotropheus sp. "elongatus chailosi"

Metriaclima sp. "elongatus chailosi"
Above: A Metriaclima sp. "elongatus chailosi" . Photo by Sam Borstein.

Etymology:

Genus- Metri= average (Latin), clima= slope (Latin).
Species- "elongatus chailosi"= It is elangate (Latin).

Intro:

The Pseudotropheus elongatus complex is rather new to the hobby. The complex consists of many similar, but undescribed fish that are similar to Pseudotropheus elongatus, the elongate mbuna. These fish have become popular in the hobby; some in particular are the Metriaclima sp. "elongatus chewere" and Metriaclima sp. "elongatus ruarwe", also known as Metriaclima. sp. "elongatus spot".

In Konings' 2007 book, Malawi Cichlids In Their Natural Habitat 4th Edition, he breaks up the species into 4 already existing genera:

Distribution:

Metriaclima sp. "elongatus chailosi" is found at Chitande in Lake Malawi around rocks.

Size, Maturity, and Sexual Dimorphism:

Size: Males- 4 inches, Females- 3.5 inches
Maturity: 2 inches
Sexual Dimorphism: Males are larger than females and have blue head, while females have the same color and barring as males without a blue head.

Care:

Metriaclima sp. "elongatus chailosi" is easy to care for. The fish are aggressive, but it is mostly only displayed towards other males of the same species or other breeding and territorial males of any other kind of species. My male was gentle on my females.

This fish loves hard water at about 78 degrees and is tough. They are extreme diggers and will move sand and gravel all day.

Diet:

This fish is an herbivore. Food high in protein can be fed to get the fish in breeding condition, but the fish do need a high quality vegetable flake or pellet to consist of most of their diet.

Breeding:

This fish was not very hard to spawn. The fish spawned in typical mbuna behavior. The males of course color up a lot before spawning and get very territorial. Females held for about 24 days and were very good holders. At this point they were stripped. The fry were free swimming and easily accepted crushed flake and baby brine shrimp. The fry gain the yellow color at about 1/2 an inch and grow fast. Raising the fry poses no issues.

Conclusion:

Metriaclima sp. "elongatus chailosi" is a great fish to keep. It is colorful, not overly aggressive, and easily attainable. This fish is found occasionally at pet shops and is readily available from hobbyists.

References: