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These fish come from Lake Malawi. They are part of the mbuna group of cichlids from this lake. Labidchromis sp. Hongi, or the Red Top Kimpuma, are relatively peaceful to mildly aggressive fish. These fish mix well with a large number of other African cichlids that are peaceful to mildly aggressive, making them an excellent community tank fish. This species grows to five to six inches. Males tend to be slightly larger than females. Most males develop a light blue body with darker vertical lines, with orange or yellow on the top of their body and dorsal fin. Their face gets a combination of either orange or yellow with dark black lines. Females tend to become more brownish than males. Females also usually develop  some orange or yellow on their dorsal fins, along with orange under their face and lower body.

I have successfully bred these fish several times. I keep one male and at least two females in a 20 gallon high predrilled tank. My tanks have stones on the bottom, and an under gravel filter system. I depend on a drip system to change 10 to 15% of their water twice a week.

Once a month I clean their stones and do a large 40 to 50% water change. This is when spawning tends to occur. I have placed
pieces of four inch long PVC pipe of various diameters ranging from one inch to two inches on top of the stones in these tanks.  These fish use them both as a hiding place and a place to spawn.

When I discover a mother is holding babies in her mouth, I move her to a smaller 15 gallon tank by herself to safely have her babies. Once the babies are born, I move the mother to an empty tank and start to feed her well. After three days, she is normally able to be return to her original tank with her mate.

Fry remain in the 15 gallon tank and are fed a powdered food until they become large enough to eat regular food. When they have grown to 1 inch size, I consider them to be juveniles and they are moved to my 20 gallon tanks. When possible, they are mixed with up to two other types of compatible African cichlid juveniles, so they learn to adapt to life with other fish in a community tank. As they continue to grow, they are moved to larger tanks and mixed with more compatible fish until they sell. Juveniles are only sold locally until they reach 2 inches or larger in size, when I consider them to be sub-adults. Sub-adults and adults are sold locally or are shipped to buyers overnight via Fed Ex.