Scrapermouth Mbuna 'Marmalade' (Labeotropheus trewavasae)

Scrapermouth Mbuna 'Marmalade' is a colourful Lake Malawi rock-dwelling cichlid sold by Petra as Labeotropheus / trewawasae marmelade. The accepted spelling most aquarists use is Labeotropheus trewavasae, and this listing keeps that accepted scientific anchor while still preserving the supplier's Marmelade/Marmalade trade wording for traceability. It is a bold, active mbuna with a distinctive scraping mouth, mottled blue-orange colour and the confident behaviour that makes Malawi rock tanks so lively.

This is not a soft community fish and not a calm planted-tank centrepiece. It is a territorial African cichlid for a hard, alkaline aquarium with rockwork, open swimming room and carefully chosen companions. Keepers who enjoy mbuna behaviour will appreciate the constant grazing, social displays and strong colour, but the fish needs planning: the wrong tank mates, cramped space or rich meaty feeding can quickly create problems.

Why This Mbuna Is Different

Labeotropheus cichlids have a distinctive downturned scraping mouth adapted for grazing algae and edible growth from rock surfaces. That shape is more than a visual detail: it tells you how the fish lives. A good aquarium should give it rock faces to inspect, stable hard water, oxygen-rich flow and food that respects its herbivore-leaning digestive system.

The Marmalade form is prized for broken blue, cream, orange and yellow patterning rather than one flat block of colour. Individual fish vary, and juveniles may not show the final adult intensity immediately. Colour improves when the fish is settled, dominant enough to feel secure, fed correctly and kept in clean stable water.

Tank Setup

Plan this species as part of a Malawi mbuna aquarium. A 200 litre tank is a sensible starting point, but a larger footprint is strongly preferred if you are keeping several mbuna, multiple males, or a mixed Lake Malawi display. Rockwork should create territories and broken sight lines while leaving enough open water for active swimming. Build rocks securely on the tank base before adding sand so digging cannot collapse the layout.

Use sand or fine rounded substrate, hard inert rock and strong biological filtration. Surface movement and oxygenation matter because mbuna tanks are active, well-fed systems. The aquarium should be mature before adding fish, with ammonia and nitrite at zero and nitrate controlled through water changes. Avoid delicate aquascapes; this fish is better suited to a robust rock-and-sand layout than a soft planted display.

Because males can push females and weaker fish hard, structure matters as much as litres. Several caves, ledges and visual barriers let fish move away from pressure. A bare tank encourages constant chasing because every fish can see every other fish all the time.

Water Parameters

The Petra catalogue for this parent product lists pH 7.5-8.5, temperature 24-26 C and hard water. FishBase and specialist hobby references also place Labeotropheus trewavasae in Lake Malawi rock habitat where alkaline, mineral-rich water is expected. Do not keep this fish in soft acidic community conditions.

• Temperature: 24-26 C preferred for the Petra line; keep stable.
• pH: 7.5-8.5.
• Hardness: hard water, with Malawi mineral support if your tap water is soft.
• Maintenance: strong filtration, oxygenation and regular water changes.

Consistency is the goal. A steady alkaline tank is better than repeated emergency adjustments. If you use RO water, remineralise it deliberately for Malawi cichlids before it reaches the aquarium.

Feeding

This is a grazing mbuna, so the diet should lean vegetable-rich. Use quality spirulina or herbivore cichlid pellets as the staple, with occasional small portions of daphnia, mysis or other measured foods. Avoid heavy bloodworm use, mammal meat and constant rich protein. These foods can upset digestion and are not a good match for a rock-grazing mbuna.

Feed small portions that are finished quickly. A busy mbuna tank can look hungry all the time, but overfeeding raises waste and aggression. If you want strong colour, focus on clean water, a good vegetable-rich staple and low stress rather than overloading the fish with rich treats.

Temperament And Tank Mates

Scrapermouth Mbuna are territorial. They can work in a planned mbuna community with other robust Lake Malawi cichlids, but they are poor companions for tiny fish, shrimp, soft-water fish, peaceful tetras, fancy guppies or delicate long-finned species. In mixed Malawi tanks, choose tank mates that can handle assertive behaviour and share the same water chemistry.

Good options are often other compatible mbuna of different colour and body shape, with enough space and rockwork to spread attention. Avoid very similar males in small tanks, and be cautious with calmer peacocks unless the aquarium is large and the group is carefully balanced. The aim is controlled social energy, not constant damage.

Watch newly introduced fish closely. Chasing is normal, but a fish trapped in a corner, losing scales, hiding constantly or missing meals needs intervention. Rearranging rockwork before introduction can help break existing territories.

Breeding Notes

Like many Malawi cichlids, Labeotropheus trewavasae is a maternal mouthbrooder. Males display and defend areas, females collect eggs, and the female carries developing young in her mouth. Breeding is possible in aquariums, but it should be planned. Keep good records and avoid uncontrolled hybridisation with similar mbuna forms.

A holding female may eat little and become withdrawn. If you intend to raise fry, prepare a separate safe space before spawning. If the tank is only a display, manage stocking so breeding aggression does not overwhelm the group.

Sizes And Variants

This Shopify product carries four supplier size options under the same parent listing. Smaller fish are better for growing into an established group, while larger fish may show more colour and confidence sooner. Match the size option to your current aquarium and existing fish, not only to the colour you hope to see later.

• N350: 3-4 cm.
• 1221: 4-5 cm.
• KF20: 5-6 cm.
• KF21: 6-7 cm.

Behaviour In The Aquarium

This species spends much of the day moving between rock faces, inspecting surfaces and defending preferred patches. A settled fish should look busy rather than nervous: grazing, turning, displaying and retreating through the rockwork. Because the mouth is shaped for scraping, it often feeds at an angle against hard surfaces. That behaviour is part of the appeal, and it is one reason smooth open tanks do not show the fish at its best.

Expect a hierarchy. Dominant fish claim the best space, while smaller or subordinate fish use the edges. The keeper's job is to make that hierarchy survivable by giving enough space, sight breaks and feeding spread. If food always lands in one corner, the strongest fish controls it. Feed across the front or in more than one place so weaker fish have a chance.

Acclimation And First Week Care

After arrival, keep lights low and let the fish recover before heavy feeding. Offer a small vegetable-rich meal once it is swimming normally, then return to a measured routine. Do not add this mbuna directly into a tank where established cichlids have owned the same territories for months without changing the rockwork first. A small rearrangement before introduction helps reset boundaries and reduces immediate pressure on the newcomer.

Check breathing, fins and appetite daily during the first week. A fish that hides but still eats may simply be settling. A fish that is being pinned, nipped or blocked from food needs a stocking or layout adjustment. In mbuna tanks, early action prevents one dominant fish from turning a small problem into constant stress.

Who Should Choose This Fish?

Choose Scrapermouth Mbuna 'Marmalade' if you want a robust, colourful Malawi cichlid with natural grazing behaviour and strong personality. It is especially rewarding for keepers who enjoy watching territories, displays and rockwork interaction rather than only bright colour. It is not the right choice if you want a peaceful mixed community, a low-maintenance nano tank, or a fish that can be added without thinking about hierarchy.

If your aquarium already has compatible mbuna, hard alkaline water and strong filtration, this fish can be a striking addition. If your tank currently holds soft-water community fish, shrimp, delicate planted layouts or slow long-finned species, build a separate Malawi system instead of compromising both sides.

Before You Order

Choose this fish if you are building or already maintaining a hard-water Malawi cichlid aquarium. It is a poor fit for peaceful mixed community tanks, nano aquariums, shrimp tanks, soft-water aquascapes or tanks where maintenance is irregular. It rewards keepers who like active fish with personality and who are ready to manage cichlid social behaviour properly.

Orders are packed for live-fish transport and sent by UK live-animal courier where available. Tropical Fish Co orders are covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee when the delivery instructions are followed, and first-time customers can use WELCOME10 where the current promotion applies. Those details support the purchase, but the care match comes first: this is a specialist mbuna, and it deserves a specialist setup.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Scrapermouth Mbuna 'Marmalade' suitable for beginners?

It is better for keepers with some cichlid experience. A careful beginner to Malawi tanks can succeed, but only with hard alkaline water, rockwork, strong filtration and suitable tank mates.

Can it live with peacock cichlids?

Sometimes in a large, carefully planned Malawi aquarium, but many peacocks are calmer than mbuna. Do not assume every peacock group can handle an assertive Labeotropheus.

What should it eat?

Use a vegetable-rich mbuna diet based on spirulina or herbivore cichlid pellets, with small measured treats. Avoid heavy rich protein feeding.

Why is the name sometimes spelled Marmelade?

Petra's supplier catalogue uses `marmelade`. The customer-facing listing uses the more common English trade spelling `Marmalade` while preserving the supplier spelling in the audit trail.