Above: In this picture a young mature premium quality male Lake Victoria Pundamilia Nyererei Cichlid is swimming in one of our aquariums, when one of us snapped this picture.

Comments: These are fabulous fish with brightly colored males.

Origin: The ancestors of Pundamilia Nyererei lived only in Lake Victoria in East Africa. But now they live in aquariums all over the world.

Maximum Size: In aquariums males are said to grow to be about 8" long, but so far we haven't seen one bigger than about 6.5" long, including their tails, which is a very nice size for aquariums.

Females are smaller and remain gray without the brilliant colors shown by mature males.

Behaviors: Pundamilia Nyererei are usually very aggressive fish, and they can even be more aggressive than some Malawi Mbunas.

Compatibility: Some recommended tank mates include, Mbunas from Lake Malawi and Synodontis Catfish, also other Cichlids from Lake Victoria, but probably not Cichlids from Lake Tanganyika.

Click here for more about Synodontis Catfish.

Click here to read more about compatible groups of pet fish.

Temperature: Pundamilia Nyererei live best from about 75 to 80-degrees F. with 78 being perhaps ideal.

Click here to learn about aquarium temperature, aquarium thermometers, and aquarium heaters.

Feeding: Premium Fish Food Pellets is the best food for these Cichlids to eat.

Recommend feeding them small pellets when they are young, then gradually increasing the size of the pellets, as they grow larger.

In Lake Victoria the Pundamilia Nyererei eat small fish but do not require live fish when living in an aquarium.

Click here to learn more about and shop online for premium fish foods.

Water Conditions: Lake Victoria has hard alkaline water and that's best for all the fish, who's ancestors lived there.

But these fish can adapt to most types of water, and so as usual it's best not to try to change the pH or alkalinity.

Click here for a lot more information about aquarium water conditions.

Aquarium Size: Pundamilia Nyererei will eventually need to live in an aquarium with at least 80-gallons of water.

Each Cichlid will need at least 5-gallons of water, and Nyererei Cichlids live best in an aquarium with at least 15 other compatible Cichlids of about the same size.

Decor: Pundamilia Nyererei do not need gravel, and a layer of gravel more than 1/4" thick will usually fill with bits of uneaten food that will contaminate the water.

Click here for more about aquarium gravel.

Live plants are beautiful and improve the water quality, but this fish will usually dig plants up, so most aquariums with Pundamilia Nyererei do not have live plants.

Aquarium Filter: Bio-Wheel Filters are highly recommended.

Most 80-gallon aquariums have room along the back for at least two Penguin 350B Filters, and this is sort of the minimum set up for Pundamilia Nyererei.

Better is a 120, 150, or 200-gallon aquarium with as many Penguin 350B Filters as will fit across the back.

Click here to learn more about aquarium filters.

The addition of Lava Rocks will keep nitrates in the ideal range.

Click here to learn more about using Lava Rocks in aquariums.

Life Span: Pundamilia Nyererei can live for several years.

Keep the water conditions excellent and feed them premium foods, and they'll most likely breed and produce the next generation of fish for your aquarium.

Gender: It's difficult to tell males from females, when they're very small, but easy when they're mature, because the males change from silver-gray to a brilliant rainbow of colors.

Breeding: Pundamilia Nyererei are mouthbrooders.

A female lays eggs, a male fertilizes the eggs, and the female picks up the eggs in her mouth.

She'll brood them for about 3-weeks, then release them in the aquarium.

They're miniature versions of their mother and very cute!

Click here to read more about breeding mouthbrooders.

Click here for a lot more about breeding various tropical fish in aquariums.

Popularity: The Pundamilia Nyererei from Lake Victoria is a popular aquarium fish.

The mature males are one of the most beautiful freshwater fish in the world.The young and the females are grey to olive and not colorful.

Names: Their scientific name is Pundamilia nyererei.

Variations: There are variations of this species from various locations in Lake Victoria.

Click here for a lot more information about keeping and caring for Pundamilia Nyererei, including a picture gallery.

We hope you've enjoyed reading these comments.

DrTom - 03/25/2015