Mylochromis gracilis
Mylochromis gracilis was officially described by Trewavas in 1935. The genus name Mylochromis was established in 1920 by Regan.
The genus name can be broken into two parts. ‘Mylo’ means ‘grinder’. A reference to the large and blunt middle pharyngeal teeth of the type species Mylochromis lateristriga. The second part ‘chromis’ comes from the time of Aristotle. It is possibly derived from chroemo (neigh), referring to a drum (Sciaenidae) and the ability to make sound. Later this reference was expanded to include cichlids, damselfish, dotybacks and wrasses. ‘Chromis’ is often used in the names of African cichlids.
The specific epithet gracilis means ‘slender’; a reference to its slender shape compared to the other species within the genus. Sometimes you can find them named Haplochromis Torpedo Stripe.
Description
Mylochromis gracilis males can reach a maximum total length of about 20 centimeters in the wild. In the aquarium the males can grow to about 25 centimeters in length. The females remain a lot smaller at 18 centimeters. As the species name indicates, this species has a slim build. They are elongated with a tapered head. In shape, they resemble Nimbochromis linni.
Color of young males and females
The females and young males are colored silver. A yellow glow shines through the silver. A black stripe runs high across the flank from the beginning of the dorsal fin to the caudal peduncle. This stripe slopes slightly downwards.
Color of males in breeding color
Mylochromis gracilis males ready to mate change color to their breeding color. The head turns blue which continues over the flank. Yellow spots are visible on the blue. Depending on the location, only the belly is yellowish in color or the yellow starts a little higher on the flank. Some vertical dark bands are also faintly visible on the flank.
A black stripe runs between the eye and the upper lip. This is also called a lachrymal stripe.
The tail and dorsal fin are both colored blue with yellow/orange spots on them. The dorsal fin is edged with a black border with a white border above it.
The pelvic- and anal fins are black. The anal fin has egg spots.
Biotope
You can find Mylochromis gracilis in the southern part of Lake Malawi. They inhabit the fairly shallow areas from 10 to 25 meters deep. They live above sandy areas that are sparsely provided with rocks and plants.
Diet
The diet of Mylochromis gracilis in the wild consists mainly of small fish and invertebrates. In the aquarium you can feed them with frozen food such as shrimp, mussels, smelt, mysis, krill, artemia and the like. They also eat granules and flakes.
The aquarium
It goes without saying that Mylochromis gracilis need a large aquarium. A minimum length of 200 centimeters is recommended, but preferably a bit larger. Set up the aquarium with sand on the bottom. Place some rocks on the bottom with cracks and crevices in between where (breeding) females can escape the male’s attention.
Character
Because this species eats small fish, they are not suitable for combination with the rock-dwelling Mbuna. A combination with larger predators or free-swimming cichlids is quite possible. For a fish-eating species, they are relatively calm in temperament.
In the aquarium it is best to keep one male with two or three females. The male must then divide his attention among the females present. This gives the females time to regain their strength and the male does not exhaust the females.
Water parameters
The water in the aquarium may have a temperature of about 22 to 26 degrees Celsius. The water in Lake Malawi has a pH of 7.5 to 8.5, which is also maintained in the aquarium.
Breeding Mylochromis gracilis
In the wild, the male makes a crater on the substrate with a diameter of about 50 centimeters. In the aquarium they usually just choose a spot on the sand.
When the male realizes that a female is ready to mate, he shows his most beautiful breeding colors. With trembling movements, he shows his flank to the female. He spreads his fins wide. He then lures her to the place he has chosen to spawn.
The pair of Mylochromis gracilis circle each other above the sand. In the meantime, the female lays a few eggs. She turns around and takes the eggs into her mouth. The male circles with her and rubs the sand with his anal fin. The female picks up the eggs or tries to pick up the egg spots on the sand. The male releases some sperm which ensures that the eggs are fertilized.
The spawn continues until approximately 100 eggs have been laid. Relative to the size of this species, the eggs are quite small.
The eggs hatch in the female’s mouth after about three days. She then holds the eggs in her mouth where the hatched fry still feed on the egg yolk sac. About 3 weeks after laying the eggs, the female releases the young fish.
In an aquarium with other species, the newly released fish are often eaten. If you want to keep more young Mylochromis gracilis, you can remove the female after about 16 days. Place her in a separate aquarium with approximately the same water values. The aquarium only needs to be set up with some sand on the bottom and a few rocks for the female to hide between. After releasing the young fish, the female does not eat them immediately. You have plenty of time to catch her and place her back in the aquarium.
You can feed the young fish with fine flake food, newly hatched brine shrimp and other small food.
Video
Author
John de Lange
Copyright images
Ems-Vechte-Aquaristik
Toni Wagner – Tonis-africancichlids.de
