If you are looking for a bright and active fish for your aquarium, be sure to take a look at the Pseudotropheus polit. These small cichlids, native to Lake Malawi in Africa, are famous not only for their rich colors but also for their very interesting behavior. They are fascinating to watch, as each individual often displays its own character.
Despite their beauty, pseudotropheus are temperamental fish. They can be territorial and sometimes show aggression, especially males. Therefore, you need to approach the choice of neighbors and the arrangement of the aquarium wisely. But if you create the right conditions for them, they will delight you with their vitality for a long time.
The general name “polit” covers several color variations. You may encounter the classic blue with an orange dorsal fin, a beautiful white and blue outfit, or a bright yellow form. Regardless of color, they all require similar care based on clean water, a rocky landscape, and special plant food.
Pseudotropheus politus are bright and active cichlids from Lake Malawi that will adorn any aquarium, but require attention to their living conditions. These fish feed mainly on plant food, so it is important not to overfeed them with live food, otherwise health problems may arise. Pseudotropheus can be aggressive, especially towards their own kind, so the aquarium should be spacious, with plenty of rock shelters. With proper care, a balanced diet, and the right choice of aquarium mates, they thrive, displaying bright colors and interesting behavior.
Habitat
Pseudotropheus polit is a bright representative of the Mbuna group of cichlids. In natural conditions, it is found exclusively in Lake Malawi, located in East Africa on the territory of three states (Malawi, Tanzania, Mozambique).
If you are choosing a filter, it is recommended to give preference to a model that, in addition to purifying the water, will also aerate it (saturate the water with oxygen). Otherwise, you will need to purchase an aerator separately.
Equipment
Micranthemum monte carlo is not recommended for planting in clean soil. It does not take root as well in fresh substrate. It is best to place it in an “old” aquarium with silted soil.
The filter sponge can be a useful source of tasty microorganisms for pseudoscates. Some aquarists use airlift filters, where the sponge would remain open and always accessible to the fish. This helps keep the filter clean and provides an additional food source for the pets.
Severia lineolata are omnivorous fish that feed on algae, microorganisms, and sometimes insect larvae in nature. However, in an aquarium, their diet should consist of various growths on glass, stones, and plants, and you can also add live and frozen food such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, and cyclops. As a supplement, you can use dry food containing many plant components and spirulina. Tablets or chips for bottom-dwelling fish, such as Tetra Pleco, are suitable for this purpose. Special attention should be paid to filtration. Fish need fast-flowing, oxygen-rich water. To ensure such conditions, it is recommended to install a powerful filter capable of pumping 15-20 volumes of liquid per hour.
Pseudotropheus polit are very aggressive fish. They are capable of attacking even larger representatives of aquatic fauna. This character trait makes them not the best option for large aquariums where many other fish live.
It is best to set up a separate aquarium for Pseudotropheus politus, where the fish will be as comfortable as possible.
Maintenance
Pseudotropheus politus loves open space, so they should be kept in spacious aquariums. For a small school consisting of 1 male and 3-4 females, a volume of 300 liters would be optimal. It is important that the length and width of the aquarium are much greater than its height. It is best to use components found in the habitats of this African fish as the bottom layer.
Most often, the bottom is covered with small pebbles, river sand, or gravel. Various decorative elements are placed on top of this substrate, which will both decorate the aquarium and provide excellent shelter for Pseudotropheus politus. Representatives of this species also need plants. They must have a strong root system, otherwise the digging-loving fish will quickly destroy all the aquatic flora.
To prevent the fish from damaging the roots of the plants, it is better to plant them in pots. The pots can be secured to the bottom and hidden from view with stones or various aquarium decorations.
Pseudotropheus politus does not require special lighting conditions. Natural light falling on the aquarium is sufficient for the fish. If desired, low-power LED lamps can be installed above the water tank. They will slightly illuminate the aquarium and make the color of the fish even more attractive.
Pseudotropheus polit is picky about water parameters. The water should have a relatively low acidity (7.5-8.5 pH) and a hardness of 8-20 Gh.
The temperature in the aquarium can range from 24 to 28 degrees Celsius. It is strictly forbidden to exceed or fall below these parameters, as this can negatively affect the condition of the fish.
This species is also demanding in terms of water quality. In this regard, the aquarium must be equipped with a high-quality external filter and a high-power aerator. It is also necessary to regularly (every week) replace 5% of the total volume of water in the tank.
Pseudotropheus politus will die if tap water is added to the aquarium. To make it suitable for fish, special substances must be added to neutralize chlorine and other harmful components.
In their natural environment, the diet of Pseudotropheus politus consists of plant and live food (approximately 50%/50%). However, for fish living in aquariums, the amount of plant food should exceed the amount of live food (ratio 70%/30%).
It is recommended to use special food for pseudotropheus as the main product.
It is made from various algae that fish eat. This food contains many nutrients necessary for maintaining health.
Breeding
Breeding Pseudotropheus politus is a difficult task that only well-trained aquarists can handle. The main feature of this process is the need to create optimal conditions in the aquarium, under which the fish will express a desire to reproduce. To do this, the aquarium owner needs to maintain a constant water temperature, monitor its hardness and acidity, and change 15-20% of the water daily.
The reproduction process of Pseudotropheus politus is unique. Females lay up to 90 eggs, which they carry in their mouths after fertilization. During this period, they completely refuse food, so it is important to know in advance when the eggs will be laid and to feed the female well. Males play an equally important role in the reproduction process. They not only fertilize the eggs, but also prepare the spawning site. Male fish also guard their mates while they carry their future offspring in their mouths.
After 3-4 weeks, the fry appear. They leave their shelter only when they are able to feed themselves. This process takes another 4-5 days. After that, the fry do not swim far from their parents. The latter protect them from various dangers and help them find food. After 3-4 weeks, the fry are transferred to a separate aquarium, where they will live until sexual maturity.
Subspecies
Pseudotropheus politus belongs to the Mbuna group of cichlids. This group includes several dozen species of fish, each of which is related to the species in question.
Most of them have common external features and similar characteristics. However, there are no subspecies of Pseudotropheus politus.
Compatibility
Pseudotropheus polit is a very aggressive species that does not get along well even with its own kind. Therefore, it is not recommended to place them with other fish species. Experienced aquarists also advise against placing two males in the same aquarium. They will compete with each other, which will lead to numerous fierce conflicts.
Despite its aggressive nature, Pseudotropheus politai is sometimes combined with other fish. The optimal combination would be with representatives of aquatic fauna that swim in the upper layers of the water column. In this case, the two species will rarely encounter each other, so the likelihood of conflict will be minimal. Pseudotropheus politus can also coexist with cleaner fish and other species from the Mbuna group.
More care tips:
Advice for owners
Keeping Pseudotropheus politus is quite difficult. To make the task a little easier, it is necessary to listen to the recommendations of experienced aquarists. Their advice will help you avoid various mistakes and adapt the aquatic environment to the needs of the fish as much as possible.
Useful recommendations:
- Unlike females, male Pseudotropheus politai are always ready to mate. Because of this, they constantly chase their potential partners, preventing them from doing other things. To protect females from excessive attention from males, place a large amount of decor in the aquarium. It will serve as a good hiding place and a place to rest.
- Replacing part of the water in the aquarium should be a mandatory weekly procedure. If this is not done, the concentration of harmful substances will increase significantly, which will lead to health problems for the fish. In parallel with cleaning the water, it is necessary to siphon the substrate. This will help get rid of the accumulated waste products of Pseudotropheus politai.
- It is very important to monitor the amount of food poured into the aquarium. This is because Pseudotropheus politus is unable to control its appetite, which means that the fish will eat as much as is available to it. The result will be obesity with a high probability of death.
Video review of Pseudotropheus politus
The underwater world of Lake Malawi has given aquarium enthusiasts an amazing and bright fish — the pseudotropheus politai. Its rich blue color and active behavior make it a real decoration for any aquarium.
Keeping these Malawi cichlids is not too difficult, but it is important to remember their nature. They are territorial and need a spacious aquarium with plenty of rock shelters. A properly selected diet and stable water parameters are the key to their health and long life.
If you are ready to create a piece of an African lake in your home and pay attention to your pets, Pseudotropheus polit will be an excellent choice. Watching their interaction and bright colors is a real pleasure for any aquarium enthusiast.
