Cichlids are fish from the family Cichlidae in the order Cichliformes. Cichlids were traditionally classed in a suborder, Labroidei, along with the wrasses (Labridae), in the order Perciformes but molecular studies have contradicted this grouping. The closest living relatives of cichlids are probably the convict blennies and both families are classified in the 5th edition of Fishes of the World as the two families in the Cichliformes, part of the subseries Ovalentaria. This family is both large and diverse. At least 1,650 species have been scientifically described, making it one of the largest vertebrate families. New species are discovered annually, and many species remain undescribed. The actual number of species is therefore unknown, with estimates varying between 2,000 and 3,000.
Lake Malawi, also known as Lake Nyasa in Tanzania and Lago Niassa in Mozambique, is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the East African Rift system, located between Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania.
The kampango or kampoyo is a critically endangered species of large and predatory bagrid catfish that is endemic to Lake Malawi, Lake Malombe and the upper Shire River in Africa. It prefers areas near rocks in water shallower than 50 m (160 ft), but it also occurs deeper and over a sandy or muddy bottom.
Eclectochromis is a small genus of haplochromine cichlids endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa.
The inconspicuous barb, sometimes misspelled inconspicious barb, is a species of cyprinid fish. It is found in Burundi, Kenya, Malawi, and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are rivers, freshwater lakes, freshwater marshes, and inland deltas. It is not considered a threatened species by the IUCN.
The Lake Malawi sardine or lake sardine is an African species of freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae. It is endemic to Lake Malawi and its outlet, the (upper) Shire River; it is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
Opsaridium microcephalum is a species of ray-finned fish in the family Cyprinidae found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are rivers and freshwater lakes.
The dwarf sanjika is an African freshwater fish species in the family Cyprinidae. It is found in Malawi and Mozambique, living in Lake Malawi and the lower Zambezi River.
Dimidiochromis strigatus is a species of haplochromine cichlid endemic to Malawi. It was formerly placed in the genus Haplochromis and known as Haplochromis 'sunset' in the aquarium fish trade.
Docimodus evelynae is a species of haplochromine cichlid. It is endemic to Lake Malawi; it is widespread in the lake and found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. This species has unusual feeding habits: it feeds upon the flank scales of cichlids or cyprinids and the skin of catfishes. The specific name honours Evelyn Axelrod, the wife of the publisher Herbert R. Axelrod (1927-2017).
Eclectochromis ornatus is a species of haplochromine cichlid which is endemic to Malawi. where it occurs in Lake Malawi and Lake Malombe. It is a predator of invertebrates and of smaller fishes which lives in shallow areas of the lake which have a soft or mixed substrate.
Lethrinops longipinnis is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi where it is found at depths of 30 to 140 metres over sandy substrates. This species grows to a length of 16 centimetres (6.3 in) SL.
Oreochromis variabilis, the Victoria tilapia, is a critically endangered species of African cichlid native to Lake Victoria and its tributaries, Lake Kyoga, Lake Kwania, and Lake Bisina (Salisbury), as well as being found in the Victoria Nile above Murchison Falls. This species can reach a standard length of 30 cm (12 in). This species is important to local commercial fisheries and is potentially important in aquaculture. It is also found in the aquarium trade.
Pareutropius longifilis is a species of fish in the family Schilbeidae. It is found in Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania where it occurs in rivers north of and in the Ruvuma River system, Lake Chiuta and Lake Chilwa. Its natural habitats are freshwater lakes and intermittent freshwater lakes. This species grows to a length of 10.2 centimetres (4.0 in) TL.
Protomelas kirkii is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi where it is most commonly found in areas vegetated with Vallisneria. This species can reach a length of 18 centimetres (7.1 in) TL. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade.
The Malawi squeaker is a species of upside-down catfish endemic to Lake Malawi. This species grows to a length of 19.2 centimetres (7.6 in) TL. This species is a minor component of local commercial fisheries and can also be found in the aquarium trade.
Trematocranus placodon is a species of cichlid fish endemic to Lake Malawi, Lake Malombe and the upper reaches of the Shire River in Africa. It is mainly a shallow-water species that prefers to occupy areas with patches of Vallisneria, but it can occur as deep as 31 m (102 ft). It can reach a total length of up to 25 cm (9.8 in).
Bulinus nyassanus is a species of small air-breathing freshwater snail with a sinistral shell, an aquatic pulmonate gastropod mollusk in the family Planorbidae, the ramshorn snails and their allies. This species is endemic to Lake Malawi in Africa, where found both in shallow and relatively deep water. Its shell generally reached a size of up to around 14 mm × 11 mm.
The broadband barb is a species of cyprinid fish in the genus Enteromius. It is found in Lake Malawi and the lower Zambezi, Pungwe River and Buzi River. The broadband barb is exploited for human consumption and for the aquarium trade.
Abactochromis is a monotypic genus of cichlid fish containing the single species Abactochromis labrosus. The genus name combines the Latin for "driven away from" with the commonly used haplochromine name "chromis". The name encompasses both the origin of the genus and the fish's solitary, wandering behaviour.
