Yellow-Tail Acei Cichlid - Luwala (Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei')

Yellow-Tail Acei Cichlid - Luwala is the supplier-listed Luwala form of Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei', an undescribed Mbuna from Lake Malawi. It is known in the aquarium trade for a blue to blue-purple body, bright yellow fins and a more open-swimming, group-oriented manner than many rock-bound Mbuna.

Choose from four approximate size grades in the live selector: 2-3 cm, 4-5 cm, 6-7 cm or 9-13 cm. One selected quantity means one unsexed fish in the chosen size grade. This listing is not a male-and-female pair, breeding pair or pre-formed group, and colour or sex is not guaranteed.

Acei often behaves more peacefully than strongly territorial Mbuna, but it is still an active cichlid. Cramped space, incompatible stock, spawning activity or poor group planning can produce chasing. The aquarium should be designed around adult fish and the complete Malawi community, not around the smallest dispatch grade.

Browse the Lake Malawi and Victoria cichlid collection or read the cichlid care guide before adding this fish to a new or mixed setup.

Yellow-Tail Acei Care Summary

Feature	Practical guidance	Important limit
Listed identity	Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei', supplier-listed Luwala form	The fish is not sold as wild-caught, F-numbered or locality-certified.
Sale unit	One unsexed fish per selected quantity	The two-fish gallery scene does not mean two are supplied.
Available grades	2-3 cm, 4-5 cm, 6-7 cm and 9-13 cm	Sizes are approximate dispatch grades, not exact measurements.
Adult planning size	About 12-14 cm, with some aquarium fish approaching 15 cm	Sex, feeding and husbandry influence final size.
Minimum aquarium	300 litres and at least a 120 cm footprint	Use more space for larger groups, mixed Mbuna or the largest grade.
Temperature	23-27°C	Avoid rapid or repeated temperature changes.
Water	pH 8.0-8.6, 12-18 dGH and 10-15 dKH	Stable hard alkaline water matters more than chasing one decimal.
Temperament	Comparatively social Mbuna; active and often less territorial than many Mbuna	It can still chase, defend a spawning site or bully in poor conditions.
Diet	Algae-rich, plant-led Mbuna staple with modest small invertebrate variety	Avoid frequent rich, fatty or high-protein meals.
Breeding	Maternal mouthbrooder	Juveniles are difficult to sex and this product has no sex guarantee.

Identity And Taxonomy

The scientifically careful name is Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei'. The abbreviation "sp." matters: specialist cichlid references continue to treat this fish as undescribed rather than as a formally named species. NCBI indexes the same working name under taxon 338889, while also warning that its taxonomy database is not a nomenclatural authority.

Yellow-tail Acei is the familiar English trade name. "Luwala" identifies the form listed by the supplier and used in specialist locality records for Luwala Reef. It should not be stretched into claims the stock record does not support. No wild-collection site, generation, breeder, parent group or chain of locality custody is documented for the fish offered here.

Some shops and older pages use Pseudotropheus acei, Pseudotropheus elegans or other combinations. Taxonomy around these similar populations is still discussed. This listing keeps the familiar search terms in explanation, but uses Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei' as the transparent working identity.

The Yellow Tail and northern White Tail/Ngara forms should not be treated as simple colour substitutions without qualification. Specialist sources distinguish their fin colours, body pattern and possible taxonomic placement. A fish sold as Luwala Yellow Tail should not be relabelled White Tail because another Acei page looks similar.

What One Quantity Includes

The selector contains four separate size variants. Select the grade required and then choose the number of individual fish. A quantity of one adds one unsexed fish; a quantity of four adds four fish in that selected grade. The product does not automatically bundle a pair or a recommended complete group.

Each grade has its own live price and inventory. One size may sell out while another remains available. The selector and checkout are the authority for current stock and price, because search engines and saved pages can show older information.

Dispatch grade	Typical planning use	What is not promised
2-3 cm	Small juvenile grade for a prepared grow-on plan	Sex, adult colour, exact length or compatibility with much larger residents.
4-5 cm	Established juvenile grade	Male/female selection or a fixed shade of blue and yellow.
6-7 cm	Larger juvenile/subadult grade	Breeding maturity, sex or exact final size.
9-13 cm	Large subadult/adult-size band needing careful introduction	A specific sex, fully mature colour or safe mixing with small juveniles.

Do not mix widely different size grades without a deliberate introduction plan. A large established cichlid can outcompete or injure a small new fish even when both carry the same trade name. Match size, feeding opportunity and social pressure, and keep a mature separation option available.

Prepare the permanent aquarium before ordering. A 2-3 cm fish is not a reason to use a temporary uncycled tank, and the 9-13 cm option should not be squeezed into the minimum footprint simply because it is a single fish.

Appearance And Natural Variation

The Luwala Yellow-tail Acei is generally described with a blue to blue-purple body and bright yellow dorsal, pelvic, anal and caudal fins. Colour can deepen or pale with age, lighting, social position, stress and water quality. A recently transported fish may look subdued before settling.

Males are often somewhat larger or more intensely coloured than females, but specialist sources emphasise that sexing is difficult, especially in juveniles. Both sexes can carry egg spots and similar colour. Colour alone is not a reliable basis for a sex promise.

The four existing gallery images are stylised representative illustrations. They communicate the general blue-purple and yellow-fin direction, but they are not photographs of the exact fish that will be packed. The fish in the artwork have simplified proportions and exaggerated eyes, so the images must not be used as a measuring or identification key.

One gallery scene shows two fish. That is social visual context, not a pair offer, sexed pair or two-fish sale. Planted and wood-filled scenes are also illustrative. Acei is associated with submerged wood in Lake Malawi, but the art does not prove the supplier aquarium, collection site or exact habitat of this stock.

Lake Malawi Habitat And Aufwuchs Ecology

Specialist Luwala records place this form over sandy areas at roughly 12-25 m and around submerged branches or trunks covered with aufwuchs. Aufwuchs is the living film of algae, microorganisms and small invertebrates growing on hard surfaces. Acei is unusual among familiar Mbuna because it is strongly associated with grazing growth from waterlogged wood as well as rock.

Wild fish can form aggregations near submerged timber and use more open water than many strongly rock-territorial Mbuna. That helps explain the elongated shape, forked tail and active group movement seen in aquariums. It does not mean the fish should be kept in an empty tank: security, visual breaks and stable social structure still matter.

Natural ecology informs the aquarium without becoming a rigid decoration rule. Aquarium-safe wood can provide grazing area and visual structure, but it is optional rather than mandatory. Secure rockwork, sand and open swimming room can create an appropriate functional environment when water chemistry and group planning are correct.

Do not collect wood or rock from an unknown outdoor source and place it directly into the aquarium. Materials can carry pollutants, alter chemistry or introduce organisms. Use aquarium-safe decor and position heavy rocks on a stable base so digging cannot undermine them.

Aquarium Size, Footprint And Layout

A locality-specific specialist source recommends 300 litres for Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei' Luwala. Cichlid-association guidance also gives 120 cm as a practical minimum tank length because Acei is an active swimmer. Treat both as starting boundaries, not a promise that every 300-litre aquarium is automatically suitable.

Footprint matters. A long, broad aquarium provides swimming distance, feeding access and more ways to create separate lines of sight than a tall narrow tank with the same volume. Larger mixed Mbuna communities, several mature males or the 9-13 cm sale grade can justify a 150 cm or larger aquarium.

Use sand or a smooth fine substrate. Build secure rock structures at the sides and rear, with passages and more than one exit. Leave a generous open area for group movement. Place rocks on a stable protective base rather than on loose sand that can be excavated from underneath.

Create several visual breaks rather than one dominant cave. A chased fish should be able to leave view without entering a dead end. Check that gaps are large enough for the biggest planned adult and cannot trap a growing fish.

Strong circulation and oxygenation are useful, but avoid a layout where every fish must hold position against one narrow jet. Direct outlets across the surface and around the rockwork so waste moves toward the filter and oxygen reaches quieter areas.

Group Planning And Temperament

Yellow-tail Acei is often described as more social, open-swimming and less territorial than many Mbuna. That relative description is useful, but "peaceful" is not a guarantee. It remains a cichlid that can chase, compete and defend a spawning area, especially in a cramped or unstable group.

The evidence does not justify selling unsexed juveniles under that promise. Plan a substantial same-form group within the capacity of a large Malawi aquarium, introduce compatible fish thoughtfully, and let confirmed sex and observed behaviour guide later adjustments.

Many Malawi keepers use larger total groups to spread attention, but adding fish is not a cure by itself. Slightly denser stocking demands more filtration, oxygen, maintenance and observation. Do not copy a stocking number from another tank without comparing footprint, adult size, species mix and water quality.

Multiple males can coexist in a sufficiently large, well-structured setup, yet no seller can promise that every combination will be harmonious. Watch for repeated cornering, blocked feeding, torn fins, hiding, colour loss or one fish remaining at the surface. Persistent pressure requires action, not simply more food or decor.

Behaviour	Usually acceptable	Needs intervention
Short display or chase	Brief interaction followed by normal swimming and feeding	One fish is pursued repeatedly and cannot rejoin the group.
Spawning-site defence	Temporary local display with several escape routes	A male controls most of the aquarium or causes injury.
Group movement	Fish spread out, regroup and use open water	A fish remains isolated, dark, clamped or unable to feed.
Feeding competition	All fish obtain small portions	Dominant fish monopolise every feeding point.

Water Chemistry And Temperature

OATA's UK Malawi cichlid guidance gives 23-27°C, pH 8.0-8.6, general hardness of 12-18 dGH and carbonate hardness of 10-15 dKH. These are general Malawi ranges rather than a reason to make abrupt chemical corrections. Stable hard alkaline water is the goal.

Measure	Planning range	Action point
Temperature	23-27°C	Investigate fast swings, heater faults and summer oxygen loss.
pH	8.0-8.6	Test source water and avoid rapid pH chasing.
General hardness	12-18 dGH	Use a repeatable remineralisation plan if source water is soft.
Carbonate hardness	10-15 dKH	Monitor buffering so pH remains stable.
Ammonia	0 mg/l	Any detectable result is unsafe and needs immediate investigation.
Nitrite	0 mg/l	Any detectable result means biological filtration is not coping.
Nitrate	No more than 20 mg/l above source tap-water level in OATA guidance	Control the trend with stocking, feeding and water changes.

Test the tap water before buying buffers or salts. Some UK supplies are already hard and alkaline; others require a measured mineral recipe. Prepare replacement water consistently and change chemistry gradually. Large, repeated shifts can stress fish even when both end values sit inside a published range.

Warm, crowded aquariums can lose oxygen quickly. Maintain visible surface movement and unobstructed filter flow. Rapid gill movement, gathering near an outlet or surface, sudden lethargy or several fish darkening at once should trigger immediate checks of temperature, oxygen, ammonia and nitrite.

Filtration, Cycling And Maintenance

The aquarium must be biologically mature before livestock arrives. A cycled filter processes the waste produced by the planned stock while ammonia and nitrite remain at zero. Simply running a new filter for a few days does not prove that it can support a cichlid community.

Use generous biological filtration and enough mechanical capacity to remove suspended waste without losing flow. External canisters, sumps or appropriately sized internal systems can all work when they are designed around the real adult stock. Provide a backup plan for power or equipment failure.

OATA recommends at least a 25% partial water change each week as a general Malawi baseline. Actual frequency should follow test results, source-water nitrate, feeding and stock. A heavily stocked aquarium may require larger or more frequent changes, performed with dechlorinated water of similar temperature and chemistry.

• Test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, pH, GH and KH every week and after stocking changes.
• Remove trapped waste from open sand and accessible gaps without destabilising the rockwork.
• Clean mechanical media when flow falls, while preserving biological media.
• Rinse suitable filter media in removed aquarium water or follow the manufacturer's safe directions.
• Check the heater, thermometer, air supply, impeller and surface movement during maintenance.
• Never replace all mature filter media at once merely because a package gives a date.

Clear water is not proof of safe water. Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate are invisible. Keep a simple log so slow changes in nitrate, hardness, pH or maintenance frequency are noticed before fish show symptoms.

Feeding And Digestive Care

Acei grazes aufwuchs, especially algae-rich growth associated with submerged wood and other surfaces. The natural film also contains microorganisms and small invertebrates, so "plant-led" is more accurate than pretending the fish eats pure vegetation only.

Use a high-quality algae-rich Malawi or Mbuna flake, small pellet or granule as the staple. Spirulina-containing foods and suitable vegetable material can add variety. Feed a particle size each grade can swallow without repeated spitting.

Small crustacean or invertebrate foods such as cyclops, mysis or krill can be used modestly where the overall diet and other residents allow. They should not turn into frequent rich meals. Avoid mammal or poultry meat and be cautious with fatty, protein-heavy foods associated with digestive stress in Malawi cichlids.

Food	Role	Practical guidance
Algae-rich Mbuna flake or small pellet	Plant-led staple	Choose a complete food and a size suitable for the fish.
Spirulina or suitable vegetable component	Dietary variety	Use within a balanced ration rather than as a cure-all.
Cyclops, mysis or krill	Small invertebrate variety	Offer modestly, not as the dominant daily diet.
Fatty or rich high-protein meals	Poor staple	Avoid repeated heavy feeding and watch digestion.
Bread, mammal meat or poultry	Unsuitable	Do not feed.

Feed small portions once or twice a day, only as much as the group consumes promptly. Spread food across more than one area so subordinate fish have access. Remove leftovers and reduce the ration if waste or body condition rises.

Do not feed heavily to make a small dispatch grade grow faster. Overfeeding degrades water quality and can produce excessive body growth without healthy development. Adult size and colour depend on genetics, sex, age and husbandry; food cannot guarantee a male, a particular shade or a locality pedigree.

Tank Mates And Compatibility

Use carefully selected Lake Malawi cichlids of compatible adult size, temperament, water requirements and diet. OATA's conservative guidance limits Malawi setups to Malawi cichlids and some Synodontis catfish. Even within those groups, exact species and individual behaviour must be researched.

Acei's relatively social nature does not make it a soft-water community fish. Avoid small tetras, guppies, slow long-finned fish, dwarf shrimp and other residents that can be swallowed, harassed or stressed by hard alkaline water and active Mbuna behaviour.

Do not treat every Peacock, Hap or Mbuna as automatically compatible. Some have different feeding strategies, adult sizes or aggression patterns. Mixing a plant-led grazer with fish that require frequent rich food can compromise one side of the community even when fighting is limited.

Some Synodontis can suit African cichlid aquariums, but the genus contains species with very different adult sizes and social needs. Verify the exact catfish, provide its group and shelter requirements, and include its waste load in the filtration plan.

Sexing And Breeding

Juvenile Yellow-tail Acei is difficult to sex reliably. Adults can show differences in size, fin extension or intensity, but those clues overlap. Venting by an experienced keeper may improve confidence at an appropriate size, yet this retail listing does not offer a sex guarantee.

The species is a maternal mouthbrooder. In aquarium conditions a male may excavate a spawning area near rock and become more territorial. The female collects and carries the fertilised eggs and developing young in her mouth.

Do not buy two unsexed fish and assume they will become a pair. Acei is not sold here as a bonded pair, and its broader social system is not based on a permanent male-female bond. A breeding project requires a suitable group, space, confirmed mature sexes and a plan for mouthbrooding females and fry.

Repeatedly stripping a female, isolating her in a tiny container or forcing frequent breeding can compromise welfare. Keep water stable, reduce harassment and seek experienced guidance before intervening. If fry are raised, provide mature grow-out capacity and a realistic rehoming plan.

Keep locality and trade forms separate where lineage matters. Do not market offspring as Luwala, F1 or pure locality stock unless the parent history genuinely supports that statement.

Health, Warning Signs And Prevention

A healthy Acei is alert, balanced, interested in food and able to move through open water without laboured breathing. Colour can change temporarily, so assess behaviour, body condition and the whole group rather than relying on brightness alone.

Observation	Possible categories	First checks
Rapid breathing or surface gathering	Low oxygen, high temperature, ammonia, nitrite or gill disease	Test water immediately and confirm circulation.
Dark colour, clamped fins or hiding	Social pressure, water stress, injury or illness	Observe group behaviour and test the full water panel.
Sunken belly or long pale waste	Feeding exclusion, digestive problem or internal disease	Watch the fish eat and seek an accurate diagnosis.
Swollen abdomen and loss of appetite	Overfeeding, digestive disease, mouthbrooding or other condition	Do not guess; separate safely and obtain experienced advice.
White spots, rubbing or excess mucus	Parasites, irritants or water-quality stress	Confirm water first and diagnose before medication.
Torn fins or missing scales	Aggression, collision or unstable decor	Identify the source and provide safe separation.

Test water before reaching for medication. Several fish showing distress together often points to an environmental problem. Correct oxygen, temperature, ammonia or nitrite emergencies promptly with an appropriate water-quality response.

Do not medicate the whole display from a generic symptom. Different treatments affect biological filters and other residents differently. Use a mature hospital aquarium where practical and seek an aquatic veterinarian or experienced fish-health professional when symptoms persist.

Quarantine new cichlids in a mature, heated and filtered setup where possible. Observe feeding, breathing, waste, skin and fins. Quarantine means controlled observation, not automatic medication without evidence.

Receiving And The First Week

Prepare the permanent or quarantine aquarium before dispatch. Read the current live-fish delivery information, test the water, confirm all equipment is working and arrange for someone to receive the parcel at the confirmed time.

1. Inspect the parcel and sealed bags promptly. If an animal is compromised, follow the current guarantee evidence instructions before opening or changing the bag.
2. Follow the acclimation directions supplied with the order rather than extending time in opened shipping water.
3. Keep the aquarium lights subdued and avoid adding shipping water unless the current instructions specifically direct it.
4. Release near open access to cover, not directly into an established male's defended area.
5. Offer a small appropriate meal only after the fish has settled, then remove leftovers.
6. Observe breathing, balance, feeding, colour, waste and social pressure several times during the first week.

Size matching matters at introduction. A 2-3 cm juvenile should not be released among much larger aggressive cichlids without a protected plan. A 9-13 cm fish may also disrupt an established hierarchy. Rearranging some decor can break old sight lines, but it does not replace enough space or a separation option.

Temporary hiding or subdued colour can follow transport. Persistent gasping, inability to swim, severe clamping, injury or constant attack requires prompt checks and action. Do not keep waiting because the species is described as robust.

Long-Term Care Routine

Daily care is observation. Confirm that every fish is visible or accounted for, swimming with control, breathing normally and obtaining food. Check temperature, filter flow and surface movement. Look behind rockwork for trapped or excluded fish.

Weekly care includes water testing, partial water changes, substrate cleaning where waste collects and inspection of the rockwork. Use the test record to adjust the schedule. Large, active cichlids and strong feeding can increase waste even when the water remains visually clear.

Periodic tasks include checking heater accuracy against a separate thermometer, cleaning impellers and hoses, examining seals and reviewing the adult stock plan. A group that fitted comfortably as juveniles may need more space or a different composition as fish mature.

Record additions, losses, spawning, aggression changes and treatments. Good records help distinguish a repeated social problem from a new disease and protect the identity of any locality or trade-form breeding project.

Comparing Related Malawi Cichlids

The separate Acei cichlid listing is a catalogue comparison, not proof that the two products are the same source population. Check its current title, size and source record before combining stock.

Compare the Ngara Acei form if you are researching the White Tail/Ngara trade name. Specialist sources distinguish northern white-fin populations from the yellow-fin Luwala form, so they should not be relabelled interchangeably.

The Daktari Mbuna and Yellow Elongatus Cichlid are other Malawi comparisons. Their similar yellow colour does not mean identical temperament, adult size, diet or group needs.

Use product comparisons to choose a coherent aquarium, not to collect every colour. A focused stock plan with compatible adult needs is safer and visually stronger than an assortment assembled from thumbnails.

UK Delivery, Guarantee And First-Order Offer

Current dispatch days, postcode coverage, packing, costs and delivery conditions are published on the delivery page. Do not rely on an older search snippet for the schedule. Be available at the confirmed address because the parcel contains live animals.

Live fish are covered by the current Live Arrival Guarantee. If an animal arrives dead, dying or clearly compromised, follow the same-day evidence process on the returns and Live Arrival Guarantee page. The policy explains the required unboxing evidence and refund or replacement route.

WELCOME10 is currently the registered 10% first-order code. Checkout confirms customer and order eligibility. The offer does not reserve stock, change the one-fish sale unit or reduce the aquarium preparation required.

Search engines may show a price, stock status or promotion from an earlier crawl. The live selector and checkout provide the current transaction details; the linked delivery and guarantee pages provide the current terms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Yellow-tail Acei a formally described species?

No. Specialist sources continue to list it as Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei', an undescribed working identity. That is why the title retains "sp." rather than inventing a formal species name.

What does Luwala mean on this listing?

It is the form/locality name supplied for this product and used in specialist Luwala Reef records. It does not prove wild collection, an F-generation or certified lineage.

How many fish does one quantity include?

One. Select the size grade and then the number of individual unsexed fish required.

Is this a male-and-female pair?

No. The fish are not sold as a sexed pair, breeding pair or bonded pair. Juvenile sexing is difficult and no sex is guaranteed.

Does the two-fish gallery image mean two are supplied?

No. It is a representative illustration of social context. One quantity still means one fish.

Are the gallery images photographs of the exact fish?

No. All four are stylised representative illustrations. Exact colour, markings, proportions, sex and size vary.

How large does Yellow-tail Acei grow?

Luwala specialist guidance gives about 14 cm for males and 12 cm for females, while aquarium sources note that some well-fed fish approach 15 cm. Plan for the larger adult.

What is the minimum tank size?

Use at least 300 litres and a 120 cm footprint. Larger groups, mixed Mbuna and the 9-13 cm sale grade often justify more space.

Does Acei need driftwood?

No. Submerged wood is part of its natural grazing ecology and aquarium-safe wood can be useful, but it is not mandatory. Sand, secure rockwork, open swimming space and correct water are more important.

Is Yellow-tail Acei aggressive?

It is often less territorial and more social than many Mbuna, but it can still chase or defend a spawning area. Space, group structure and compatible stock determine much of the outcome.

How many Acei should be kept together?

Plan a substantial same-form group in a spacious Malawi aquarium rather than relying on a rigid retail number. Stock is unsexed, so exact male/female ratios cannot be promised at purchase.

Can several males live together?

They can in a sufficiently large, structured aquarium, but individual outcomes vary. Monitor feeding access, hiding and repeated chasing.

What temperature does Yellow-tail Acei need?

OATA's general Malawi guidance is 23-27°C. Keep the value stable and maintain strong oxygenation.

What pH and hardness are suitable?

Aim for pH 8.0-8.6, 12-18 dGH and 10-15 dKH. Test the source water and use a repeatable mineral plan rather than making abrupt adjustments.

What should ammonia and nitrite read?

Both must remain at zero. Any detectable result requires immediate investigation of the filter, stock, feeding and water-change routine.

What does Yellow-tail Acei eat?

Use an algae-rich, plant-led Mbuna staple. Small crustacean or invertebrate foods can add modest variety, but rich meaty food should not dominate.

Can Acei live with Peacocks or Haps?

Do not assume so from the group name. Compatibility depends on exact species, adult size, temperament and diet. Some mixed Malawi setups work, while others create feeding or aggression conflicts.

Can Acei live with tetras, guppies or shrimp?

No general community mix is recommended. These animals differ in size, behaviour or water needs, and shrimp may be eaten or harassed.

Can Acei live with Synodontis catfish?

Some Synodontis can suit Malawi aquariums, but research the exact species, adult size and group needs before adding it.

Is Yellow-tail Acei suitable for a beginner?

It can suit a prepared new Malawi keeper with a mature 300-litre-plus aquarium, hard alkaline water, strong filtration and a coherent stock plan. It is not suitable for a first uncycled community tank.

How can I tell male from female?

Sexing is difficult, especially in juveniles. Adult size, colour and fin shape overlap, and both sexes can show egg spots. This listing therefore remains unsexed.

How does Acei breed?

It is a maternal mouthbrooder. A female carries fertilised eggs and developing young in her mouth while a male may defend an aquarium spawning site.

Why is a new fish hiding or darker?

Transport and a new hierarchy can temporarily change colour and behaviour. Test the water and watch for persistent gasping, clamping, injury or exclusion from food.

How should I introduce a small juvenile?

Do not release it with much larger aggressive cichlids without protection. Match sizes, adjust sight lines, feed across several areas and keep a mature separation option.

Does the Live Arrival Guarantee apply?

Yes, subject to the current evidence and same-day reporting terms. Read the policy before delivery and be ready to receive the parcel.

Can I use WELCOME10?

The code currently provides 10% off eligible first orders. Checkout confirms eligibility and current stock.

Evidence Used For This Care Guide

Water and welfare guidance was checked against OATA's UK Malawi cichlid care sheet. Identity, habitat, size, diet, breeding and Luwala context were cross-checked across specialist cichlid databases and locality records. Where sources disagree, this page uses the more conservative aquarium plan and labels uncertainty.

• OATA: How to care for African Malawi cichlids
• Cichlid Room Companion: Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei'
• Malawi.si: Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei' Luwala Reef
• NVC: Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei'
• MalawiCichlids.com: Acei natural history
• NCBI Taxonomy: Pseudotropheus sp. 'acei'

These references describe the fish and responsible husbandry; they do not turn the current commercial stock into a wild, sexed or certified locality specimen. The live supplier and Shopify records remain the authority for the sale unit and size options.