Cyprichromis lept. jumbo malasa - Cichlid Fish for Sale UK

Malasa is the kind of locality name Cyprichromis collectors go looking for on purpose, and this jumbo form of Cyprichromis leptosoma gives Tanganyika specialists a genuine reason to plan a tank around it. Growing to about 12 cm and living around eight years, it is a long-term resident rather than a quick splash of colour — the sort of fish a hard-water aquarium gets built for.

Behaviour follows the genus blueprint: peaceful, always in motion, and loyal to the middle of the water column where most cichlid communities have an obvious gap. One detail sets this listing apart on paper — the record classes the Malasa jumbo as a carnivore, so centre its menu on meaty foods it can take in open water before they reach the bottom. Water parameters are textbook Lake Tanganyika: 24–27 °C, pH 7.5–8.5 and hardness from 12 to 30 dGH, with consistency mattering more than hitting any one perfect number. For adults of this size, treat 300 litres as the floor rather than the target.

Care is rated moderate overall. Nothing here is delicate; the real task is simply maintaining stable hard-water conditions and giving a 12 cm open-water cichlid the room it deserves. If you are stepping up from general community keeping, this is a sensible first locality-form Tanganyikan: the chemistry targets are clearly defined in the record and the equipment list is ordinary. The main planning decision is the footprint — an open swimming lane running the full length of the aquarium will do more for this fish than any amount of extra rockwork.

Malasa jumbo at a glance

• Adult size about 12 cm; lifespan around 8 years
• 300-litre minimum aquarium with open midwater space
• Stable 24–27 °C; pH 7.5–8.5; hardness 12–30 dGH
• Carnivore — feed meaty foods suited to open-water feeding
• Peaceful temperament; keeps to the middle region

Stocking the tank around it

Pair the Malasa jumbo with other peaceful Tanganyikan cichlids, Synodontis catfish from Lake Tanganyika, or carefully selected non-aggressive Neolamprologus species. Avoid large aggressive cichlids, highly territorial mbuna, fin-nipping barbs, very boisterous community fish, anything predatory enough to swallow it, and pushy feeders that would strip the food before it gets a share. We send all livestock with a licensed live-animal courier under a live arrival guarantee.