Pseudotropheus Acei Yellow Tail Malawi African Cichlid
Image for illustration purposes only. Exact colours, patterns, and size may vary between individuals.
Delivered alive, guaranteed
Live fish delivery is £20 per order, delivered Thursday, Friday or Saturday, arriving before 1:00pm on the day you choose at checkout. Packed by aquatic specialists and shipped overnight with a dedicated livestock courier, every fish is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee with automatic refunds. See How Live Fish Delivery Works for full details.
When will my fish arrive?
| Order placed | Delivery day |
|---|---|
| Up to Monday 11:00am | Thursday (that week) |
| Monday after 11:00am – Tuesday 11:00am | Friday (that week) |
| Tuesday after 11:00am – Wednesday 11:00am | Saturday (that week) |
| Wednesday after 11:00am – Sunday (any time) | Thursday (following week) |
Overview
The Acei Yellow Tail is a slim, violet-blue mbuna with bright yellow fins and tail, and one of the most peaceful cichlids Lake Malawi has to offer. This colour form comes from Ngara on the lake's north-western shore. It shoals in open water rather than hugging rocks, and suits beginners to hard-water cichlids.
- Adult Size: Around 12 cm (5 in); males slightly larger
- Lifespan: 8–10 years
Origin
- Native to: Lake Malawi, north-western shore around Ngara
- Habitat: Sandy shallows with sunken logs and scattered rocks
Feeding
- Diet: Omnivorous, mostly herbivorous
- Preferred Foods: Spirulina flakes, cichlid pellets, blanched spinach, peas, brine shrimp, daphnia
- Feeding Habits: Small feeds twice daily; grazes wood for algae
Tank Mates
- Best with: Peaceful mbuna, Labidochromis, Synodontis catfish
- Avoid: Very aggressive mbuna, tiny fish, white-tail acei (hybridise)
Aggression & Behaviour
- Temperament: Peaceful for a mbuna
- Territoriality: Low; spends time in open water
Experience Level
- Difficulty: Beginner to intermediate
- Challenges: Needs a proper group and hard, stable alkaline water
Water Parameters
- Water Type: Freshwater, hard and alkaline
- Temperature: 24–28°C (75–82°F)
- pH: 7.5–8.5
- Hardness: 10–20 dGH
- Flow: Moderate
- Tank Size: Minimum 200 litres for a group of six or more
Final Notes
Keep acei in a group of six or more with more females than males, in a long tank with open swimming space. Unusually for a mbuna it grazes algae from submerged wood in the wild, so add driftwood to the rockwork. It is a maternal mouthbrooder and breeds readily; do not mix with the white tail form. Sexes look alike, males a little larger. A relaxed, easy mbuna.
Please Note
The livestock that is sold on our online site is not held in store at our Birchwood Aquatic Centre shop. Species sold at the Birchwood Aquatic Centre physical store may differ from ones available to order to your door.
Frequently Asked Questions
In insulated boxes designed for live transport, packed by aquatic specialists,
overnight with a licensed live-animal courier, arriving before 1pm.
It is covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee.
Photograph it within 4 hours of delivery, email info@birchwoodaquaticcentre.co.uk with your order number, and the refund is processed automatically. The cover continues for 7 days after arrival.
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. You pick your day at checkout; please choose a day someone is home.
Yes. One basket, one checkout; the fish arrive with the specialist courier and the rest of your order ships as normal.
We can deliver to UK mainland only for live fish.
Follow the five-minute acclimatisation steps in our When Your Fish Arrive guide: float the bags, add tank water gradually, net the fish in, lights low, feed tomorrow.