Melanochromis Auratus
Auratus will eat most food be it flake, frozen, live, floating or sinking sticks. Their general diet in the wild is algae.
Breeding is very easy as they are mouth-brooders, but watch out for other Melanochromis tank mates as they are not fussy. Incubation period is approximately 25 days. Parents will even raise fry in a mixed community tank.
One of first African Cichlids to be imported and is still one of the
most popular with the striking colourations of the female - golden yellow with
black horizontal stripes. The Auratus prefers a sand substrate with
lots of rocks to form caves. Best to be kept with other Malawi Mbuna's. Males can be very aggressive towards other males of the species when females are present, sometimes ending in fatalities.
