Red Top Hongi (Labidochromis sp.)

A small Malawi cichlid crowned in crimson, patrolling rocky territories with fearless attitude.

The Red Top Hongi is a striking Lake Malawi mbuna with a fiery red-orange dorsal and blue-black bars. Hardy, active and ideal for species-rich African cichlid setups.

• Water conditions: The Red Top Hongi (Labidochromis sp. "Hongi") thrives in stable, hard, alkaline water that mimics Lake Malawi. Aim for a temperature of 24–28°C (75–82°F), pH 7.6–8.6, general hardness around 10–20 dGH and carbonate hardness of 8–15 dKH. Ammonia and nitrite must read zero, and nitrate should be kept below 20–40 ppm with regular water changes. Provide strong filtration and high oxygenation, as mbuna come from highly oxygenated rocky habitats. Avoid sudden pH or temperature swings; use a reliable liquid test kit and top off with conditioned water. If your tap water is very soft or acidic, rift-lake mineral buffers can help, but stability matters more than chasing an exact number. Keep salinity negligible and do not use marine salt as a substitute for proper mineral balance.
• Tank setup and size: Despite being offered at 4–7 cm, this is an active mbuna that needs room to swim and establish territories. Use a tank of at least 120 cm in length and around 250 litres for a small group, with larger volumes being easier to manage. Provide plenty of rockwork, caves, crevices and sight-line breaks, plus a sandy substrate for sifting and spawning. Leave open swimming space above the rockwork. A tight-fitting lid is essential because cichlids can jump. Strong filtration with a turnover of roughly 6–10 times the tank volume per hour, plus additional water movement, will help maintain water quality and oxygen levels.
• Suitable tank mates: This semi-aggressive mbuna is best kept in a species-appropriate African cichlid community. Good companions include similarly sized, robust mbuna such as Labidochromis caeruleus, Pseudotropheus acei, Iodotropheus sprengerae and carefully chosen Cynotilapia or Maylandia species. Avoid very aggressive mbuna, including Melanochromis auratus and highly territorial Demasoni in smaller tanks, as well as small tetras, guppies, goldfish, discus and other slow or long-finned fish. Synodontis catfish can work in spacious setups. Keep a ratio of one male to several females, and use slight overstocking with excellent filtration to disperse aggression. Mixing species with similar colour patterns often increases conflict.
• Feeding habits: The Red Top Hongi is an omnivore with strong herbivorous tendencies. Offer a staple diet of high-quality spirulina flakes or pellets, algae wafers and vegetable-based cichlid foods. Blanched zucchini, cucumber, spinach and shelled peas can be offered two or three times weekly. Protein should be limited: mysis, brine shrimp or quality cichlid pellets can be given once or twice weekly as a treat, but avoid high-protein foods such as beef heart, feeder fish and oily meats, which increase the risk of Malawi bloat. Feed two or three small meals daily, only as much as the fish consume within one to two minutes. Remove uneaten food promptly, and avoid overfeeding, as mbuna are prone to digestive problems when given too much rich food.
• Care and maintenance: Perform 30–50% water changes weekly, using a gravel or sand vacuum and dechlorinated water matched to tank temperature. Rinse mechanical filter media in old tank water rather than under the tap, and do not overclean biological media. Observe the group daily for aggression, nipped fins, hiding fish or reduced appetite. Provide multiple territories and rearrange rockwork if bullying becomes persistent. Quarantine new livestock for two to four weeks where possible, and acclimatise carefully by drip or slow addition of tank water. The 4–7 cm size indicates juvenile or subadult fish, so colour may develop further with age, diet and dominance; males generally become more intensely coloured and larger than females. With stable water, correct diet and thoughtful stocking, this is a hardy, long-lived and rewarding mbuna.