Easy to intermediate
Chocolate Cherry Shrimp (Neocaridina davidi)
18–26°C · pH 6.5–8 · 30L
£13.99
Snow White Cichlid, also sold as Albino Pindani, is an albino Chindongo socolofi mbuna for mature Lake Malawi aquariums with hard alkaline water, rockwork and a vegetable-led diet.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Product-photo provenance and any image-specific limitations are stated on the listing.
Chindongo socolofi (syn. Pseudotropheus socolofi), albino form
Save when buying multiple fish. Each quantity is one fish; sex and pair formation are not guaranteed unless the selected variant explicitly states them.
Snow White Cichlid, also sold as Albino Pindani, is an albino Chindongo socolofi mbuna for mature Lake Malawi aquariums with hard alkaline water, rockwork and a vegetable-led diet.
Adult size is the maximum length this species reaches at full maturity (scientific sources). The livestock you receive will be younger and smaller — pick a size variant above for the actual shipping size. Product-photo provenance and any image-specific limitations are stated on the listing.
Cichlids are one of the most diverse fish families in the hobby. From tiny apistogrammas to massive oscars, this guide covers the basics of keeping them well.
Maintain these water conditions for optimal health and vibrant colors
Snow White Cichlid, also known as Albino Pindani or albino Chindongo socolofi, is a pale Lake Malawi mbuna with a clean ivory body, pinkish eyes and the confident behaviour that makes rock-dwelling African cichlids so compelling. The older hobby name Pseudotropheus socolofi is still widely used, so both names are useful when researching the fish, but the listing is anchored to Chindongo socolofi as the current scientific framing.
This is not a soft-water community fish or a gentle white centrepiece for a peaceful mixed tank. It is a territorial mbuna that belongs in a mature Malawi aquarium with hard, alkaline water, secure rockwork, strong filtration and robust tank mates. When kept in the right setting it is active, bright and full of character; when placed in the wrong setting it can become stressed, aggressive or difficult to feed correctly.
Plan the tank as a Malawi mbuna aquarium from the start. Use a sand or fine gravel base, then build stable rock piles with caves, ledges and broken sight lines. The rocks are not decoration alone; they define territories and let weaker fish move out of view. Leave some open swimming room at the front, but make sure the structure is strong enough that fish cannot undermine it.
Water should be warm, hard and alkaline, with reliable biological filtration and high oxygen. Avoid sudden changes in pH or hardness. Regular water changes, sensible stocking and strong filtration are more important than chasing a single perfect number. This species also benefits from a mature aquarium where the biological filter is already settled before the fish arrives.
Snow White Cichlids are often described as manageable for mbuna, but that does not mean peaceful. They are best kept with other robust Lake Malawi cichlids that can handle similar water and social pressure. Avoid delicate community species, small fish, shrimp, soft-water fish, peaceful long-finned tank mates and cramped mixed-cichlid setups.
If you are keeping a group, give more room than the bare minimum and use layout to reduce constant line-of-sight pressure. A common Malawi approach is to keep a carefully balanced group with more females than males, but exact stocking depends on tank size, existing fish and aggression levels. Watch individuals, not just species labels: a dominant fish may need rearranged rockwork or separation if it controls the whole aquarium.
Chindongo socolofi grazes from rock and sand surfaces in nature, so the captive diet should lean towards herbivorous mbuna foods. Use quality spirulina flakes, algae-based cichlid pellets and vegetable matter as the staple. Occasional small frozen foods can be offered, but avoid making rich protein foods the main diet. Heavy, meaty feeding can cause digestive trouble in mbuna and can also push water quality in the wrong direction.
Feed modest portions that are cleared quickly. In a rock-filled aquarium it is easy for uneaten food to fall into gaps where it breaks down unseen. A lean, consistent feeding routine usually produces better colour, body shape and behaviour than a feast-and-fast pattern.
This is a maternal mouthbrooder. Females carry eggs and fry in the mouth, and males become more territorial when breeding. Sexing albino forms can be difficult from colour alone, so use size, fin shape and behaviour as clues rather than guarantees. If fry are a goal, keep the group stable, avoid constant rescapes and provide enough cover for females to withdraw from pressure.
This product has multiple size variants. Smaller fish are often easier to introduce into a growing Malawi group, while larger fish show more confidence sooner and may need more careful placement with existing adults. Availability is variant-specific: use the live size selector for current stock rather than assuming every listed size is ready to ship. If one size is out of stock, choose an in-stock alternative or wait for the next supplier update.
Before ordering, confirm the tank is cycled, warm and matched to Malawi water conditions. On arrival, keep lights low, acclimate steadily and avoid heavy feeding on the first day. Watch breathing, posture and social pressure during the first week. A newly introduced mbuna may hide briefly, but it should not be trapped constantly in a corner or chased every time it moves.
The Snow White form is an albino strain, so it should look pale rather than blue like the standard Pindani. The red or pinkish eye is part of that albino look, and the body may show a cool white, cream or faint bluish sheen depending on lighting and mood. Because colour strains can be sold under several hobby names, the safest identity wording is to keep the customer-facing name Snow White Cichlid while also naming Albino Pindani, Chindongo socolofi and the older Pseudotropheus socolofi synonym.
Do not judge the fish only by brightness in a photo. Healthy mbuna should have a firm body shape, controlled swimming and clear fins. Stress bars or darker markings can appear when Malawi cichlids are unsettled, pressured or adjusting to a new hierarchy. Give the fish structure, time and stable water before judging its final display colour.
The main mistake is treating this as a peaceful white aquarium fish instead of a mbuna. A soft planted community, a small starter tank or a slow peaceful mix will usually end badly. The second mistake is feeding it like a predator. Use vegetable-led foods as the foundation and keep protein treats modest. The third mistake is creating one open rock pile with no broken sight lines; territories work better when fish can disappear from each other for a moment.
Also avoid mixing too many similar pale or blue mbuna without a plan. Closely related or similar-looking fish may compete hard, and hybridisation is a risk in mixed Malawi breeding groups. If breeding matters, keep species and colour forms deliberately rather than casually.
We keep this listing species-first: correct naming, realistic temperament notes, clear size options and natural search language. For eligible in-stock livestock orders, first-time customers can use WELCOME10, and our Live Arrival Guarantee terms support responsible delivery. The best result still starts at home: prepare a proper hard-water Malawi aquarium before ordering so the fish arrives to conditions that suit it.
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