Taiwan Reef Cichlid (Protomelas sp. 'Steveni Taiwan')

Choose a specialist Lake Malawi cichlid

The Taiwan Reef Cichlid (Protomelas sp. 'Steveni Taiwan') is a haplochromine cichlid from Lake Malawi in East Africa. It suits a keeper who can maintain hard, alkaline water, manage an aggressive Malawi community and respond when the social balance changes. The name identifies a member of the genus rather than a formally named species, so plan around the requirements of the whole Malawi community instead of assuming a precise adult measurement from the trade label.

WoRMS lists Protomelas as an accepted genus in the cichlid family Cichlidae. Wikipedia describes the genus as endemic to Lake Malawi and part of the haplochromine group. Maternal mouthbrooding and differences between the sexes occur within the genus, but neither feature establishes the sex or future appearance of an individual fish.

For this genus-level trade identity, use OATA’s Malawi cichlid guidance as the working plan: 23–27°C, pH 8.0–8.6, 12–18°dGH, at least 200 litres for a reasonable community and groups of at least 15. The aquarium still has to be assessed around the eventual sizes, temperaments and waste load of all its residents; 200 litres is not an automatic approval for any group of 15 fish.

Understand the exact fish and size supplied

One purchase supplies one Taiwan Reef Cichlid. Use the live size selector to choose either 2–3 cm or 4–5 cm. These labels describe the approximate dispatch size and do not establish the animal’s sex, life stage or eventual length. The size you select is the size supplied, not the adult size. Complete the permanent aquarium plan before choosing the smaller fish; a compact dispatch size does not reduce the space, filtration or social management needed later.

Sex is guaranteed only when the selected option explicitly states male or female. This Taiwan Reef Cichlid listing has no sex-guaranteed option. Do not build a pair, breeding plan or intended sex ratio around appearance, dispatch size or the colours shown in the gallery. OATA notes that many Malawi cichlids show clearer differences between the sexes only when adult, which makes colour an unsuitable purchase guarantee here.

The exact species has not been identified, so the care advice here follows the genus Protomelas and its care group. This keeps the working water, space and social plan tied to Malawi cichlid guidance without assigning the fish the biology of one formally named Protomelas species.

Some gallery images have been digitally enhanced to improve image quality. They show the listed type of animal rather than guaranteeing the exact markings of the individual supplied, so natural colour and pattern can vary. One image shows two fish, but that scene does not alter the one-fish purchase unit. Use the pictures to understand the illustrated body shape, colours and aquarium scenes, not to choose sex or predict the exact markings of the animal received.

Confirm these points before purchase

• The aquarium already holds stable hard, alkaline water.
• The biological filter can support another cichlid and its future waste load.
• The planned residents satisfy the Malawi compatibility rules.
• There is a practical separation plan if aggression becomes persistent.
• The chosen dispatch size is suitable for the existing residents’ size and behaviour.

Keep hard, alkaline water stable

Keep the aquarium at 23–27°C, pH 8.0–8.6 and 12–18°dGH. OATA gives these as broad Malawi cichlid values and also gives 10–15°dKH for carbonate hardness. Choose stable values within those ranges rather than repeatedly changing the chemistry to chase one exact reading.

Ammonia and nitrite must remain at 0 mg/l. Keep nitrate no more than 20 mg/l above its level in the normal tap water used for the aquarium. Test the source water as well as the tank because the difference between the two readings is needed to apply that nitrate limit correctly.

Measure before altering the water. The aquarium water chemistry guide explains what the main values mean, while the water matcher helps compare measured aquarium values with this working range. Record the date, temperature, pH, general hardness, carbonate hardness, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate together so that a gradual change is visible before it becomes a larger problem.

Treat replacement tap water with a suitable conditioner before it enters the aquarium so chlorine or chloramine does not harm the fish or filter bacteria. Keep changes controlled: stable chemistry within the working ranges is more useful than a cycle of large corrections followed by rebounds.

Plan space for the whole Malawi community

Use at least 200 litres as OATA’s starting point for a reasonable Malawi cichlid community, then increase the aquarium plan to match the actual fish being combined. Total adult dimensions, aggression, swimming behaviour and waste production all matter. A nominal volume cannot make a poor social combination safe, and a tall aquarium does not compensate automatically for limited horizontal room.

Malawi cichlids can be aggressive and OATA advises groups of at least 15, with slight crowding sometimes used to distribute aggression. Apply those two figures together cautiously: they do not mean that every set of 15 Malawi cichlids belongs in a 200-litre aquarium. Assess the completed stocking list and filtration load before deciding how many fish the aquarium can support.

Create usable zones

• Leave open water where fish can move and feed without passing through one defended point.
• Use décor to interrupt long lines of sight and create more than one retreat route.
• Make the layout stable because Malawi cichlids will often dig and rearrange the substrate.
• Keep equipment and filter intakes accessible for inspection.
• Preserve strong surface movement throughout the aquarium.

OATA recommends coral sand or a similar substrate to help buffer the water. Malawi cichlids will often dig and rearrange the substrate, which will uproot any plants present. Choose only hardy plants and do not depend on planting as the main structure of the aquarium. Rearranging décor can reduce established territorial pressure when fish are introduced, although persistent pursuit may still require separation.

Measure the real internal aquarium volume after allowing for substrate and décor, not just the manufacturer’s external figure. Then consider how the arrangement affects swimming room and waste collection. A large decorative structure can reduce usable water and create trapped debris even when the headline litre figure looks generous.

Mature the filter before adding the fish

Use a well-established biological filter and confirm 0 mg/l ammonia and 0 mg/l nitrite before adding the fish. The RSPCA explains that filter bacteria process toxic ammonia into nitrite and then nitrate. Clear water alone does not show that this biological process can handle the aquarium’s waste load.

Malawi communities place substantial demands on filtration because their group plan may involve many active fish. OATA recommends an oversized filter and aggressive aeration for these aquariums. “Oversized” should be judged against the real livestock and feeding load rather than the largest aquarium volume printed on the filter box.

Prepare a first aquarium fully before livestock enters it. The first tropical tank guide covers the sequence for establishing and maturing the system. Add fish gradually because the bacterial population established for the existing load must increase when more fish and more food enter the aquarium.

Rinse filter media in water removed from the aquarium, never under the tap. Recheck flow after every maintenance job.

Feed small, measured portions twice daily

Feed only as much as the fish can finish within a few minutes, twice a day. Remove or account for uneaten food because food left to break down increases the waste that the filter must process. Reduce the next portion if particles repeatedly settle behind décor or remain after the feeding window.

Use an appropriately sized complete Malawi cichlid food as the working staple. The exact feeding type must guide any more specialised choice: OATA explains that smaller mbuna tend towards algae-rich foods and vegetables, while some larger utaka may require pellets with more animal content plus frozen foods such as brine shrimp, prawns or cockles. Do not assign either feeding pattern from colour, size or the Taiwan Reef trade label alone.

Make each feed observable

• Choose particles the fish can take cleanly without repeatedly spitting them out.
• Spread the portion so that one dominant fish cannot intercept every piece.
• Watch whether the fish reaches food without prolonged chasing.
• Reduce the ration when food remains after a few minutes.
• Check ammonia, nitrite and nitrate if uneaten food has accumulated.

Feed variety within the chosen Malawi plan rather than changing several foods at once. Introduce one food at a time in a measured portion, then watch acceptance, body condition and waste. Eagerness alone is not a reason to increase the ration; Malawi cichlids should still receive only what they can consume within the short feeding period.

A fish that suddenly stops feeding needs a water and social check. Test ammonia, nitrite, temperature and pH, then observe whether another fish blocks access to the feeding area. Persistent appetite loss, weight change or abnormal swimming belongs in the health assessment rather than being managed by repeatedly offering larger portions.

Build the Malawi group gradually

Plan a Malawi community of at least 15 only after checking that the aquarium can support the eventual size, behaviour and waste load of every fish. OATA warns that small Malawi groups often fight and describes slight crowding as a way to spread aggression. This is a social-management technique, not permission to exceed the filter’s capacity or compress fish into an unsuitable footprint.

Add Malawi cichlids in groups where the aquarium and filter can accept the added load. OATA advises adding more peaceful species first and more aggressive species later. The exact order therefore depends on a temperament assessment of every named fish, not simply its colour or whether a shop label calls it a hap, mbuna or peacock.

Where possible, keep more females than males of each species to reduce repeated male attention towards one female. This offer does not guarantee sex, so ordering a set number cannot guarantee that ratio. Plan a route for separating or rehoming fish if the eventual composition puts one individual under constant pressure.

Keep a divider, spare established aquarium or realistic rehoming route in the plan. Rearranging décor may make all residents establish territories again, but it cannot guarantee that incompatible individuals will settle. Physical separation is the appropriate next step when a fish cannot feed, rest or leave a pursuer’s line of sight.

Follow the arrival and acclimatisation procedure

Follow these steps on arrival

1. Make sure someone is present to receive the parcel because live fish must not be left unattended.
2. Start filming every delivery while the parcel is still sealed. In one continuous take, show the sealed parcel, open it and show the fish still inside the sealed bag.
3. Float the bag in the aquarium for 20–30 minutes before releasing the fish.
4. Release the fish without pouring the bag water into the aquarium.

The fish is hand-bagged in pure oxygen and packed in an insulated poly box, with a heat pack when weather conditions call for one. A licensed live-animal courier carries the parcel, and tracking details are sent by email. Keep the continuous video for any Live Arrival Guarantee claim. Read the current delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy before purchase so that the receiving and claim requirements are understood.

After release

OATA advises checking that the aquarium has 0 mg/l ammonia and 0 mg/l nitrite before any fish is introduced. Increase livestock slowly so the biological filter has time to adjust to the additional waste and feeding. Watch the established residents as closely as the new fish because a changed hierarchy can affect feeding and territory access throughout the group.

Maintain and observe the aquarium every week

Change 25% of the water at least once every week. Treat the replacement tap water with conditioner before adding it, and use a siphon to remove solid waste from the substrate. Keep the replacement water consistent with the aquarium’s established temperature and mineral plan so maintenance does not create a sudden chemistry swing.

Test at least weekly for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and the water values used to manage this aquarium. Ammonia and nitrite must remain at 0 mg/l, while nitrate must not exceed 20 mg/l above the normal tap-water level. Increase the testing frequency after adding fish, increasing food or finding a change in behaviour.

Use changes in the fish as an early warning

Check the filter for blockages during the weekly routine. If reusable biological media needs cleaning, rinse it lightly in aquarium water removed during the water change. Restore every component in its correct position and confirm normal flow and surface movement before finishing.

Test the water first when appearance, breathing, feeding or swimming changes. Review recent additions, feeding increases and décor changes at the same time. Contact us if the change continues after the immediate water and social checks; prompt details about readings and behaviour make the next decision more useful.

Screen every proposed companion

Keep this fish only in a carefully planned Malawi community or with an individually assessed Synodontis species that naturally inhabits Lake Malawi. OATA limits Malawi cichlid companions to other Malawi cichlids or some Lake Malawi Synodontis, but this boundary is only the first screen. Shared origin does not make every combination compatible.

Compare adult size, aggression, feeding requirements and the space each candidate uses. The Taiwan Reef trade identity names a genus-level fish, so do not assume its eventual behaviour from a colour pattern or another Protomelas species. Apply the same discipline to every proposed companion.

Browse the African cichlid collection to identify candidates, then assess each named fish rather than treating the collection as a tank-mate list. Do not add a companion solely because both animals tolerate hard water.

Ask us for a stocking assessment once you have the aquarium dimensions, measured water values, filter model and full resident list. Compatibility always retains some individual uncertainty, so the final plan also needs a workable separation route.

Respond to aggression before a fish is excluded

Treat aggression as an expected Malawi-management issue rather than waiting for severe injury. OATA describes Malawi cichlids as aggressive and warns that small groups often fight. Normal social interaction can include short pursuits, but no fish should be continually prevented from feeding, resting or moving through the aquarium.

Use décor to break long sight lines and provide several ways around defended areas. OATA notes that rearranging the aquarium can reduce aggression by making fish establish territories again. Make changes carefully and ensure digging cannot destabilise the layout.

Escalate the response to match the behaviour

• Brief pursuit: observe whether both fish return to normal swimming and feeding.
• Repeated displacement: spread feeding access and interrupt the aggressor’s view across the aquarium.
• Persistent hiding: reassess the group, décor and available retreat routes.
• Blocked feeding or constant pursuit: prepare physical separation immediately.
• Fresh injury or abnormal breathing: separate when needed, test the water and begin the health assessment.

Adding more fish is not an automatic cure. OATA’s group of at least 15 and slight-crowding advice must be balanced against aquarium volume, filtration and the actual species involved. Do not increase the population when ammonia, nitrite, space or compatibility is already a concern.

Where sexes can be identified later, more females than males may reduce pressure on one female. This offer cannot produce a guaranteed ratio, and a visually assumed sex should not determine whether an individual is retained. Judge the group by feeding access, physical condition and daily behaviour.

Fin damage may occur during conflict, but the group identity alone does not predict a fixed fin-nipping pattern. Use observed behaviour to decide. A combination that repeatedly injures or excludes one fish has failed even when every resident comes from Lake Malawi.

Get direct answers to common buyer questions

How big does the Taiwan Reef Cichlid get?

Plan from the adult measurements of the identified fish before final stocking; this genus-level trade identity must not be assigned a species measurement, and the 2–3 cm or 4–5 cm dispatch size is not a growth forecast.

What size aquarium does the Taiwan Reef Cichlid need?

OATA’s Malawi guidance recommends at least 200 litres for a reasonable community, but the final aquarium must also fit the adult sizes, aggression and waste load of every resident.

How many Taiwan Reef Cichlids should I keep together?

OATA advises groups of at least 15 for Malawi cichlids because small groups often fight; this is a community figure, not a requirement to buy 15 of this one trade form.

Is the Taiwan Reef Cichlid suitable for beginners?

A beginner should choose it only after establishing stable hard, alkaline water and a mature filter, and after preparing to manage an aggressive Malawi group and separate fish if needed.

What does the Taiwan Reef Cichlid eat?

Feed an appropriately sized complete Malawi cichlid food twice daily, offering only what it can finish within a few minutes; select any specialised algae-rich or animal-rich formula according to the identified feeding type.

What temperature and pH does it need?

OATA’s Malawi guidance gives 23–27°C, pH 8.0–8.6 and hard water at 12–18°dGH, with ammonia and nitrite kept at 0 mg/l.

Is it aggressive or likely to nip fins?

OATA describes Malawi cichlids as aggressive. Watch for persistent chasing, blocked feeding, hiding or fin damage, and separate fish when one cannot escape sustained pressure.

Which fish can it live with?

Screen companions from other Malawi cichlids or suitable named Synodontis species that naturally inhabit Lake Malawi; adult size, diet, aggression and aquarium space must all match.

How does it arrive alive in the UK?

Be present to receive the parcel, then start filming every delivery while it is still sealed. In one continuous take, show the sealed parcel, open it and show the fish still inside the bag. The fish is hand-bagged in pure oxygen, packed in an insulated poly box with a heat pack when needed and carried by a licensed live-animal courier; float the bag for 20–30 minutes and do not pour bag water into the aquarium. Keep the video for any Live Arrival Guarantee claim.

References for identity, welfare and care

• WoRMS: accepted genus and family placement for Protomelas.
• Wikipedia: genus-level Lake Malawi range, haplochromine identity, sexual dimorphism and maternal mouthbrooding.
• OATA: Malawi cichlid water, aquarium, feeding, maintenance, group and compatibility guidance.
• RSPCA: biological filtration and aquarium waste processing.
• Tropical Fish Co delivery policy: packing, receipt and acclimatisation procedure.