Sam Borstein's Cichlid Page


Metriaclima sp. "lime nkhomo"

Synonyms: Pseudotropheus sp. "lime nkhomo"

lIME nKHOMO
Above: A male Metriaclima sp. "lime nkhomo" . Photo by Rick Borstein.

Etymology:

Genus- Metri= average (Latin), clima= slope (Latin).

Intro:

Metriaclima sp. "lime nkhomo" is rather new to the hobby. This undescribed mbuna is very colorful and relatively non-aggressive. It is said that this fish is closely related to the Doctor Cichlid, Metriaclima sp. "daktari" (Konings, 2007).

This fish was previously a member of Pseudotropheus. This fish is closely related to fish of the Pseudotropheus elongatus complex.

Distribution:

Metriaclima sp. "lime nkhomo" is found at Mbenji Island in Lake Malawi.

Size, Maturity, and Sexual Dimorphism:

Size: Males- 4 inches, Females- 3.5 inches
Maturity: 2.5 inches
Sexual Dimorphism: Males are larger than females and will have more yellow and attain a purple sheen to their sides.


Above: A female Metriaclima sp. "lime nkhomo". Photo by Rick Borstein.

Care:

Metriaclima sp. "lime nkhomo" is easy to care for. You should keep a minimum of a trio, but due to their non-aggressive nature, you can put them in a small tank, like a 40 breeder.

Diet:

This fish is an herbivore. Feed some food with fiber in it. I like a good veggie flake like HBH graze.

Breeding:

This fish is not very hard to spawn. Like all mbuna, the male displayed, and the fish spawned. I found the females to be poor holders, and had to strip mine to get fry. Eggs hatch and are free swimming in 19-21 days. Fry were good sized and are easy to raise. They grow at a pretty fast rate.

Lime Nkhomo
Above: A displaying Metriaclima sp. "lime nkhomo" male. Photo by Sam Borstein.

Conclusion:

Metriaclima sp. "lime nkhomo" is a very nice fish to keep. It wasn't my favorite, but I know people who really like them. The fish is peaceful and easy to breed. You will not find this fish at your local pet shop, but may see it go through your club.

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