Acei Cichlid (Pseudotropheus sp. "acei")

Acei Cichlid is the aquarium trade fish usually written as Pseudotropheus sp. "acei". It is an active Lake Malawi mbuna known for moving in loose groups and grazing aufwuchs from submerged wood and other hard surfaces. Compared with many mbuna it is often less combative, but it remains a territorial African cichlid that needs a large, carefully planned hard-water aquarium.

The name also needs care. Pseudotropheus acei is commonly printed as though it were a formally described binomial, but the aquarium fish remains represented in scientific databases as Pseudotropheus sp. "acei". Northern white-tail populations have also been associated with Pseudotropheus elegans or P. cf. elegans. Because this mixed supplier record cannot settle that taxonomy, the page uses the recognised trade identifier without inventing a species or locality.

Acei Cichlid quick facts

Customer name	Acei Cichlid
Trade identifier	Pseudotropheus sp. "acei"; not a formally described species name
Supplier designation	White-Tail Acei, but the supplied reference image shows yellow fins
Origin	Lake Malawi at trade-group level; exact locality is not verified for this stock
Care level	Moderate
Temperament	Semi-aggressive; relatively mild for mbuna, not a peaceful community fish
Adult planning size	Approximately 12-15cm depending on form, sex and conditions
Recommended aquarium	300L+ and around 120cm long for a planned group; larger for mixed mbuna
Temperature	24-26C as a stable routine range
pH	Approximately 7.5-8.5, stable and buffered
General hardness	Approximately 10-20 dGH
Diet	Aufwuchs-focused omnivore with a plant-rich staple and modest animal protein
Breeding	Maternal mouthbrooder
Selection	Size option only; tail colour, locality and sex are not guaranteed

What will I receive?

Select the available size option for one live fish. The listed centimetres are dispatch-size bands, not adult sizes. Five protected size variants currently sit under this product, and availability can differ by size. The XL label is a supplier grade rather than a precise measurement. Always plan the aquarium for an adult before ordering a juvenile.

Sex is not selected. Young Acei are difficult to sex reliably from colour alone, and both sexes can share similar basic colour. A customer cannot use a random-size order to build a guaranteed one-male-to-several-female breeding group. If group composition matters, allow for uncertainty and keep a separation or rehoming plan.

The gallery is illustrative. It shows intensely blue-purple, yellow-finned Acei-like fish, including a supposed pair and planted scenes. Those images do not prove the sex, locality, exact adult colour or tail colour of the supplied animal. The dedicated Yellow-Tail Acei Luwala and Acei Ngara listings should be considered separately rather than treating all Acei names as interchangeable.

Correct identity and why it matters

NCBI currently records the aquarium fish as Pseudotropheus sp. "acei". The abbreviation "sp." signals an undescribed or unresolved species-level identity. Writing Pseudotropheus acei without quotation marks is common in shops and search results, but it implies a formal name that has not been established in the usual taxonomic way.

Trade history adds another complication. Yellow-finned populations from central and southern localities are usually sold as Yellow-Tail Acei. Darker northern fish with pale or white fins have long been sold as White-Tail Acei, especially with the Ngara label. Specialist locality references now often associate those northern populations with Pseudotropheus elegans or P. cf. elegans. The colour forms can therefore represent more than a simple decorative variation.

This product has no trustworthy locality attached to it, and its supplier name conflicts with its source picture. The accurate response is not to choose whichever label attracts more searches. It is to retain Acei as the customer-recognised trade group, disclose the conflict and avoid a precise white-tail or yellow-tail promise.

White-tail and yellow-tail Acei compared

Feature	Yellow-tail trade form	White-tail trade form	This product
Typical appearance	Blue to purple body with yellow caudal and other fins	Darker body with white or pale caudal and fin markings	Gallery and supplier photo show yellow fins
Common locality labels	Luwala, Msuli and related central/southern populations	Ngara and northern populations	No locality evidence supplied
Taxonomic treatment	Usually Pseudotropheus sp. "acei"	Often linked to P. elegans or P. cf. elegans	Cannot be settled from the record
Colour promise	Use a verified Yellow-Tail locality listing	Use a verified Ngara/white-tail listing	No exact tail colour guarantee

The care principles overlap, but that does not justify mixing locality forms in a breeding project. Keep named populations separately and do not distribute fry under a locality name unless the parents have reliable provenance. If you only want an attractive display group and accept the disclosed uncertainty, this general Acei product may be suitable.

Natural distribution and habitat

The Acei trade group comes from Lake Malawi. Specialist field accounts describe populations along sandy shores where submerged branches and tree trunks provide feeding surfaces. This association with waterlogged wood is unusual among mbuna, many of which are better known as rock-associated aufwuchs grazers.

Acei gather around submerged timber and rasp the attached algal and microbial community. They may also take small invertebrates and plankton associated with the substrate and water column. This explains their relatively elongate body, active midwater movement and willingness to use more open space than strongly cave-bound mbuna.

An aquarium cannot recreate an exact locality when the stock locality is unknown. It can reproduce the useful functions: hard alkaline water, high oxygen, mature rock and wood grazing surfaces, open swimming lanes and secure retreats. Use aquarium-safe wood that does not drive the water toward unsuitable acidity, and balance it with mineral-stable source water and rockwork.

Adult size and growth

Plan for approximately 12-15cm total length, accepting that population, sex, diet and aquarium conditions affect the result. Petra's source record gives 11cm, while specialist locality information often places males around 12-14cm and females somewhat smaller. Captive fish can become heavier and larger when overfed.

Do not use the smallest purchase option to justify a small aquarium. A 2-3cm juvenile has years of growth ahead and needs stable water immediately. Growth should be steady rather than forced. Excess food and heavy animal protein may produce rapid bulk while increasing digestive and water-quality risk.

Purchase option	Meaning	Planning response
2-3cm	Small juvenile	Protect from large tank mates and feed fine plant-rich food
4-5cm	Growing juvenile	Sex and final colour remain uncertain
6-7cm	Larger juvenile or subadult	Match companions by mouth size and behaviour
7-9cm	Subadult-sized grade	Adult hierarchy may begin to become clearer
XL	Supplier grade	Ask for current measured guidance if exact size is essential

Tank size and footprint

We recommend at least 300 litres and roughly 120cm aquarium length for a planned Acei group. A larger mixed-mbuna community benefits from 400 litres or more and a longer footprint. Litres alone do not solve territorial pressure; the aquarium must provide horizontal travel, several retreat zones and enough room for weaker fish to avoid a dominant individual.

A 250-litre figure appears widely in trade care. It can be physically workable in a well-designed species-focused setup, but 300L gives a more responsible margin for a social adult cichlid that may reach 12-15cm. The recommendation is not permission to overcrowd: filtration, adult biomass and aggression still set limits.

Acei should not be kept as a lone decorative fish in a general community aquarium. A group of at least five or six is a sensible social starting point where space allows, because it provides more natural interaction and distributes attention. Avoid buying a group before the aquarium is ready for every adult.

Group size, sex ratio and social planning

There is no magic one-male-to-three-female ratio that makes every group safe. That ratio is a captive breeding-management convention, not a guarantee. Sex may be unknown in juveniles, and multiple males can coexist in a sufficiently large, structured aquarium. A small group with one persistently dominant fish can be less stable than a larger well-planned group.

Start with six or more juveniles only if the aquarium can house six adults. Watch access to food, resting sites and open water. Remove or separate a fish that remains dark, hides continuously, cannot feed or is chased whenever it emerges. Do not wait for severe injury because Acei have a reputation for being "peaceful."

Never add one tiny juvenile directly to an established adult mbuna community without assessing predation and aggression. Use a divider or separate cycled system where necessary. Introduce fish with lights reduced and hardscape adjusted only when doing so will not destabilise the whole aquarium.

Aquascaping for an Acei group

Combine open swimming space with stable rock structures and some submerged wood. Build rocks directly on a protected base rather than on loose sand where digging can undermine them. Every cave should have a usable exit; narrow dead ends can trap a subordinate fish.

Wood offers grazing area and reflects the unusual natural association, but it is not a reason to create soft acidic water. Choose cured aquarium wood and monitor pH and KH. Arrange several separate visual zones so one fish cannot control the whole length. Leave a clear central or upper lane for group movement.

Fine sand is appropriate and allows natural foraging. Avoid sharp gravel that can damage mouths or bodies during chasing. Plants are optional. Anubias, Java fern or Vallisneria may survive if securely attached or protected, but Acei and other mbuna may uproot or graze delicate growth. The gallery's lush planted scenes are illustrative, not a promise that every plant will remain untouched.

Water parameters

Parameter	Routine target	Management point
Temperature	24-26C	Stable; avoid treating 28C as the default because warmer water holds less oxygen
pH	Approximately 7.5-8.5	Keep buffered and avoid sudden chemical adjustment
GH	Approximately 10-20 dGH	Match hard-water Malawi companions
KH	Maintain useful carbonate buffering	Protects against sudden pH fall
Ammonia	0 mg/L	Any detectable value requires immediate action
Nitrite	0 mg/L	Toxic and evidence of inadequate biological processing
Nitrate	Keep low and stable	Control through stocking, feeding and regular matched water changes

Test the source water before adding buffers or minerals. If remineralisation is required, use a measured aquarium product and prepare replacement water consistently. Repeatedly chasing pH with quick-fix powders can create larger swings than leaving a suitable stable source alone.

Filtration, oxygen and maintenance load

Acei are active cichlids with a substantial adult biomass. Use mature biological filtration sized above the nominal aquarium volume and strong surface movement. Distribute flow so waste reaches the filter without forcing every fish to swim in a jet. Warm, crowded Malawi tanks need particular attention to oxygen.

Test water during the early months and after any stocking change. Clean mechanical media before it blocks, but preserve biological media and never sterilise every filter component together. Use dechlorinated replacement water with closely matched temperature and mineral profile.

A weekly partial water change is a sensible baseline, adjusted from measured nitrate, feeding and stocking. No fixed percentage is correct for every system. The result should be low waste and stable chemistry, not a dramatic weekly swing.

Natural diet and aquarium feeding

Wild Acei graze aufwuchs, especially growth on submerged wood, but aufwuchs is not pure plant matter. It contains algae, microbes and small invertebrates. The most accurate aquarium description is an aufwuchs-focused omnivore with a plant-rich diet, not a strict herbivore that can never receive animal protein.

Use a quality spirulina or algae-rich cichlid pellet or flake as the staple. Rotate with other complete plant-supported foods and occasional small portions of appropriate frozen food. Avoid using bloodworm, fatty mammalian products, feeder fish or large protein-heavy meals as routine foods.

Food	Role	Use
Spirulina-rich cichlid pellet or flake	Daily staple	Choose a size every fish can swallow easily
Algae wafer or vegetable-rich granule	Dietary variety	Break and distribute so one fish cannot monopolise it
Blanched courgette or spinach	Occasional fibre-rich supplement	Remove uneaten portions promptly
Mysis or brine shrimp	Occasional animal-protein variety	Small portions, not the staple
Bloodworm, feeder fish or fatty meat	Unnecessary high-risk choice	Avoid as routine feeding

Feeding routine and body condition

Offer modest portions once or twice daily, with an occasional lighter day if appropriate to the established routine. Spread food across the surface so subordinate fish can feed. A meal should be consumed promptly without leaving a cloud of fragments in the rocks.

Judge body condition from a clear dorsal and side view. A healthy fish should not have a pinched belly or become continuously bloated. Rapid heavy growth, long pale faeces, loss of appetite and abdominal swelling require investigation of diet, water and possible disease rather than another large meal.

Do not assume every digestive sign is "Malawi bloat." Similar signs can have different causes. Quarantine the affected fish where possible, test water and seek experienced aquatic-veterinary advice before medicating the display.

Temperament without the peaceful-mbuna myth

Acei are relatively mild compared with many mbuna, but "peaceful" is misleading without the comparison. They establish hierarchy, males may defend spawning areas in aquariums and any individual can harass a weaker fish. Their group movement does not make them equivalent to tetras or peaceful livebearers.

A well-planned group in a long aquarium often looks confident and cohesive. A cramped pair or trio can concentrate aggression. Temperament changes with maturity, sex ratio, layout, food and neighbouring species. Monitor beyond the juvenile stage.

Choosing tank mates

Keep Acei with carefully selected Lake Malawi cichlids of compatible adult size, diet and aggression. A Yellow Lab Cichlid may work in a large planned mbuna display, while a Maingano Cichlid needs more caution because adult aggression can be stronger. Species names are only the beginning; group size and individual behaviour still matter.

Selected Lake Malawi Synodontis can sometimes share a large aquarium, but generic Synodontis are not interchangeable. Check adult size, lake origin and diet. Do not add a riverine catfish merely because the broad genus appears in a compatibility list.

Avoid small community fish, soft-water fish, long-finned slow swimmers, tiny catfish and any animal small enough to be swallowed. Avoid highly aggressive mbuna that will dominate feeding and space. Mixing peacocks with mbuna is not an automatic recommendation; it requires compatible diet, sufficient footprint and close observation.

Compatibility matrix

Companion	Assessment	Condition
Other Acei of the same verified form	Preferred social option	Six or more where 300L+ adult space is available
Selected moderate mbuna	Possible	Match diet and size; provide 400L+ for complex communities
Yellow Lab Cichlid	Often considered	Large structured aquarium and behaviour monitoring
Lake Malawi Synodontis	Possible	Verify exact species, adult size and feeding access
Peacock cichlids	High caution	Diet and aggression can conflict; not a default mix
Small community fish	Avoid	Wrong chemistry and predation/aggression risk
Shrimp and small snails	Avoid	Likely to be harassed or eaten

Breeding and mouthbrooding

Acei are maternal mouthbrooders. The male displays and spawning occurs on or near the substrate; the female collects fertilised eggs and carries developing young in her mouth. She may eat little or nothing while brooding and can lose condition.

Do not strip eggs or isolate a brooding female without understanding the risks. A move can cause her to swallow or release young prematurely, while leaving her in an aggressive community can also be stressful. Provide a mature cycled recovery space and a plan before breeding begins.

Fry require fine complete food, clean water and protection from adults and filters. Keep locality records with every generation. Do not cross this uncertain line with verified Luwala or Ngara fish, and do not sell offspring under a named locality.

Arrival and acclimation

Prepare the aquarium before dispatch day and read the current Tropical Fish Co acclimation instructions. Match temperature and introduce the fish without allowing opened shipping water to remain unattended for a long period. Shipping-water chemistry can change after exposure to air.

Reduce lighting and provide immediate cover. Do not feed heavily on arrival. Observe breathing, balance and the response of established fish. Retain the packaging and take clear evidence within the published live-arrival window if there is a concern.

Quarantine is strongly recommended. The quarantine system must be cycled, heated, hard and alkaline, with shelter and a secure cover. A bare uncycled container is not quarantine. Use separate equipment and avoid transferring water between systems.

First 90 days

Period	Priority	Evidence to keep
Arrival day	Controlled acclimation and calm placement	Condition, breathing, balance and any delivery concern
Days 2-7	Confirm feeding and zero ammonia/nitrite	Foods accepted, waste, aggression and water tests
Weeks 2-4	Assess group hierarchy and body condition	Chasing, hiding, fin damage and weight trend
Months 2-3	Set long-term maintenance and stocking limits	Growth, nitrate trend, sex signs and adult-space plan

Health warning signs

• Rapid breathing or remaining at the surface
• Clamped fins, loss of balance or persistent isolation
• A pinched belly, refusal of several normal meals or abnormal faeces
• Persistent swelling rather than a normal recently fed abdomen
• White spots, excess mucus, flashing or rubbing
• Split fins, missing scales or wounds caused by chasing
• Dark stress colour combined with inability to leave a refuge

Test water first. Many disease-like signs begin with ammonia, nitrite, oxygen shortage or aggression. Do not medicate the whole display from a guessed diagnosis. Some treatments affect biological filtration and tank mates; obtain specialist guidance where signs are severe or persistent.

Ongoing maintenance

Frequency	Task	Purpose
Daily	Observe breathing, feeding, hierarchy and equipment	Find practical problems early
Weekly	Test as needed and change matched water	Control nitrate and replenish stable conditions
As required	Clean mechanical filter media	Maintain flow without sterilising biological media
Monthly	Review adult biomass, rock stability and growth	Prevent a juvenile plan becoming an overcrowded adult tank
After any new fish	Reassess aggression and food access	Hierarchy changes when stocking changes

Is this the right fish for you?

This product suits a keeper who has a mature 300L+ hard-water aquarium, wants a social Lake Malawi mbuna, can maintain strong filtration and accepts the disclosed uncertainty over tail colour and locality. It is not suitable for a small general community, a soft-water aquarium or a buyer who requires an exact white-tail or yellow-tail form.

• The aquarium is at least 300 litres and around 120cm long.
• Water is stable around 24-26C, pH 7.5-8.5 and 10-20 dGH.
• Ammonia and nitrite are zero and filtration is mature.
• A group plan covers every fish at adult size.
• Tank mates match the Acei's diet, size and semi-aggressive behaviour.
• Rockwork is stable and open swimming space remains.
• A separation or rehoming option exists.
• You accept that sex, exact locality and tail colour are not guaranteed.
• You have read the current delivery and acclimation terms.

How to read the preserved gallery

The four gallery images are useful for understanding the general Acei body plan: a laterally compressed but relatively elongate mbuna, a continuous spiny dorsal fin, a blunt grazing mouth and an active midwater posture. They also show how strong blue-purple colour can look under bright aquarium lighting.

They are not reliable evidence for the White-Tail supplier designation. Every image shows yellow in the caudal fin and dorsal edge, and the fish are rendered with unusually saturated, almost identical colour and eye detail. The pair scene should not be read as a sexed pair, and the plant scene should not be read as proof that delicate plants are safe. The driftwood scenes are relevant to Acei feeding ecology, but they are still illustrative compositions rather than current stock photographs.

Gallery view	Useful information	What it cannot promise
Single fish with driftwood	General body shape and wood-associated aquarium concept	White tail, exact colour, locality or mature sex
Two-fish planted view	How a social display may look in open water	A supplied pair, compatible sexes or guaranteed plant safety
Plain side profile	Clear view of the illustrated fins and body proportions	A diagnostic photograph of current supplier stock
Fish beside a plant	Approximate visual scale within an aquarium scene	Exact centimetre size or a species-safe scale reference

Actual juveniles may be grey-blue, less saturated and less clearly marked after transport. Colour develops with age, condition, lighting, diet, hierarchy and background. Stress colour is not permanent colour. A fish that arrives paler than the gallery should be assessed from breathing, balance, feeding and recovery rather than judged from the first few hours.

Dedicated Acei listings and avoiding mixed provenance

Tropical Fish Co currently carries separate Acei-labelled products because suppliers distinguish geographic or trade forms. The Yellow-Tail Acei Luwala listing is the appropriate route when the Luwala supplier designation is the buying requirement. The Acei Ngara listing is the closer route for customers specifically seeking the northern Ngara trade line.

This product should not be merged conceptually with either one merely because the fish share an Acei name. Its supplier title says White-Tail, its source image shows yellow fins, its earlier source title said Yellow-Tail, and no locality accompanies the current record. Keeping that uncertainty visible prevents accidental cross-breeding and gives the buyer a reason to choose the better-documented sibling product when provenance matters.

Even a dedicated locality name is only as strong as its source records. Photograph new breeding stock, retain invoices and keep populations in separate aquariums. Do not rely on memory after several years or distribute mixed offspring as wild-locality fish. Where a display group is the only aim, never release or trade uncertain fry under a more desirable name.

Sexing, hierarchy and adult colour

Male and female Acei can look similar, particularly as juveniles. Adult males may become larger, show stronger display behaviour and develop more pronounced egg spots or fin extension, but none of those traits is a universal retail guarantee. Venting mature fish can improve confidence when performed by an experienced keeper, yet unnecessary handling creates stress and injury risk.

Colour intensity is also not a simple male-female test. A dominant female can be strongly coloured, while a subordinate male may remain muted. Background, lighting and social pressure can alter visible tone within hours. The safest promise for all five size variants is unsexed stock with variable colour.

Hierarchy should be evaluated from access, not only dramatic fighting. A fish that is always last to feed, remains behind one rock or changes direction whenever a dominant fish approaches may be under chronic pressure even without torn fins. Add visual barriers, spread food and be prepared to separate individuals. Adding more fish to dilute aggression is only ethical when the aquarium has spare adult capacity and filtration.

Quarantine and disease prevention

Quarantine every new cichlid where practical. Use a fully cycled tank with the same warm, hard, alkaline water, secure cover, appropriate shelter and enough room for the purchased size. Observe appetite, faeces, respiration, skin, fins and balance before moving the fish into a valuable group. A quarantine system that produces ammonia or large pH swings can cause more harm than it prevents.

Do not combine fish from several deliveries in one quarantine batch unless you intend to restart the observation period after each addition. Use separate nets, siphons and towels. Wash and dry equipment between systems. Never pour shop or shipping water into the display.

White spot, external parasites, bacterial lesions and internal problems require different responses. A broad medication cocktail is not a substitute for diagnosis. Confirm dose against actual water volume after decor displacement, maintain oxygen and understand whether the treatment affects the filter. Seek aquatic-veterinary help for severe breathing distress, major wounds, uncontrolled swelling or repeated losses.

Long-term welfare and ageing

Acei are a long-term commitment even though this page does not promise a fixed lifespan. Well-kept Malawi cichlids can live for many years. The aquarium must remain suitable after the original group matures, breeds and changes hierarchy. Plan for equipment replacement, holiday care and the possibility that offspring or surplus males require separate homes.

Older fish may become less competitive at feeding or develop chronic conditions. Offer food in several areas and watch body condition individually. Do not assume weight loss is simply age. Check teeth and mouth injury after territorial disputes, review water trends and obtain qualified advice where decline persists.

Responsible ownership includes energy and water use, but it must not compromise welfare. Efficient pumps, insulated lids and scheduled lighting can reduce waste. Water removed during maintenance can be reused for suitable garden plants only when it contains no salt or medication and local biosecurity is respected. Never release fish, fry, plants or aquarium water into natural waterways.

Why buy from Tropical Fish Co?

This listing does not hide the contradiction between the supplier text and the available images. It preserves all four existing gallery assets while explaining that they show a yellow-finned illustrative phenotype. It also distinguishes the common Pseudotropheus acei search wording from the unresolved Pseudotropheus sp. "acei" trade taxon.

Live fish are prepared for tracked UK delivery under the published Tropical Fish Co live-arrival terms. Eligible first-time customers can use WELCOME10 for 10% off their first order. Check current delivery areas, dispatch days, evidence requirements and acclimation instructions before ordering because operational terms can change.

Browse the Lake Malawi and Victoria cichlid collection for locality-specific Acei and compatible alternatives. Do not choose from colour alone; compare adult size, diet, group needs and aggression.

Acei Cichlid FAQs

Is Pseudotropheus acei the accepted scientific name?

It is common trade wording, but the aquarium fish remains represented as Pseudotropheus sp. "acei" because it is not formally described under the name Pseudotropheus acei.

Is this a White-Tail Acei or Yellow-Tail Acei?

The supplier text says White-Tail, but its source photo and the preserved gallery show yellow fins. No locality evidence was supplied, so this product does not guarantee either tail colour. Use a dedicated locality listing if colour provenance is essential.

How large do Acei Cichlids grow?

Plan for approximately 12-15cm total length. Exact size varies by geographic form, sex, diet and aquarium conditions.

What tank size does an Acei group need?

We recommend at least 300 litres and around 120cm length for a planned group. Use 400 litres or more for a complex mixed-mbuna community.

How many Acei should be kept together?

A group of at least five or six is a sensible starting point where the aquarium can house every fish as an adult. A single fish or cramped pair can experience concentrated stress.

Are Acei Cichlids peaceful?

They are often relatively mild for mbuna, but they remain semi-aggressive territorial cichlids. They are not peaceful community fish and still require hierarchy monitoring.

What do Acei Cichlids eat?

Use a spirulina or algae-rich complete cichlid food as the staple, with plant-supported variety and modest occasional animal protein. Avoid routine heavy bloodworm, feeder fish or fatty meat.

Can Acei live with Yellow Labs?

They can be considered for a large, structured Malawi aquarium where adult size, diet and behaviour are compatible. No pairing is guaranteed; monitor the actual fish.

Can Acei live with peacock cichlids?

That mix needs caution because mbuna and peacocks can differ in diet and aggression. It is not a default recommendation and requires a large aquarium and close observation.

How can male and female Acei be identified?

External differences are unreliable in young fish and colour alone does not guarantee sex. This listing sells by size, not by sex.

How do Acei breed?

They are maternal mouthbrooders. The female carries developing young in her mouth and needs protection from excessive stress and a suitable recovery plan.

Does the live-arrival guarantee apply?

Yes, under the current Tropical Fish Co terms when the published delivery, evidence and acclimation conditions are followed. Read the terms before dispatch and report concerns within the stated window.

Evidence and further reading

• NCBI Taxonomy: current record for Pseudotropheus sp. "acei"
• MalawiCichlids.com: locality, feeding and trade-form account with Konings references
• Lake Malawi cichlid locality reference: Acei habitat and northern-form distinction

Care values are conservative retail guidance for an unresolved trade stock. They do not claim that every geographic population has identical biology. Preserve locality forms separately and use the fish's actual condition, water tests and behaviour to guide husbandry.