Auratus Cichlid Care Guide

Auratus Cichlid (Melanochromis auratus) is an intermediate-level freshwater fish that needs at least 55 gallons and 75-82°F. A striped Malawi mbuna. Young fish and females are gold with dark stripes while mature males turn mostly black with a blue sheen. It is feisty and territorial, so plan a rocky tank with plenty of hiding places and a group with more females than males.

Care facts at a glance

Quick tips

• Keep one male with several females.
• Stack rock to break lines of sight.
• Use hard, alkaline water and avoid very small tankmates.

San Diego water

Naturally suited to San Diego's hard, alkaline tap water once it is dechlorinated (the city uses chloramine, so use a conditioner that handles it). Learn the numbers in our San Diego tap water guide.

Before you buy

Make sure your tank is cycled (how to cycle a tank), check your numbers with the water testing guide, and use the compatibility guide to check tankmates. These are general ranges; individual fish and local water vary.