Not furry, but we like them anyway.

Livingstoni Cichlid

Nimbochromis livingstonii (Günther, 1894)

Also called Livingston's Cichlid, Kalingono, Sleeper

SpeciesShort profile

From Lake Malawi, the upper Shire River and Lake Malombe in East Africa, usually in vegetated bays and sandy or muddy inshore areas.1 2

At a glance the quick version

Length20 to 25 cm1 3 2

Sizelarge

Remarkable 'playing dead' hunting trick

Unique patchwork pattern

Peaceful with larger tankmates

1 3 2

Looks how to spot one

Large, mottled haplochromine

A big cichlid with a cloudy brown and white patchwork and dark bars fanning out from the eye.1 2

Coloursmottled brown and whiteblue dorsal fin with orange-red edgingorange-red anal finbreeding males turn dark blue2

Personality what they are like

Quiet and solitary by nature, spending a lot of time lying still; it gets along with fish too large to be prey.1 3

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Low-key most of the day, with short fast lunges at feeding time; give it open space and sand to rest on.3 2

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Soft sand, open swimming room and good filtration; regular water changes keep a large predator thriving.3

Home where they are happiest

At least 120 x 45 cm base (about 205 litres), 24 to 28 C, pH about 7.6 to 8.8 and 10 to 25 dGH.3 1

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Fish-eater in the wild; in captivity feed meaty seafood such as prawns, lancefish and whitebait, not mammal meat.3 1 2

Company who they like around

Kept singly or as one male with three to six females; good companions are large Rift Lake cichlids such as Frontosa.3

The story where it all began

Albert Günther described the species in 1894 from fish gathered on expeditions linked to David Livingstone, whose name it carries. It has long been a favourite of Malawi hap keepers for its pattern and behaviour.1 2

Fun facts for the dinner table

1
It lies on its side on the lake floor like a dead fish, then lunges at small fish that come to inspect it.2
2
Its Chichewa name kalingono is said to mean 'sleeper'.2
3
The genus name means 'clouded chromis', a nod to its blotchy pattern.2
4
Four dark bars radiate from each eye, framing its face.1

Recognised by the official bits

IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 20 June 2018)1
Taxonomy: Described by Günther in 1894; named after explorer David Livingstone1

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Livingstoni Cichlid. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

FeedingSmall amounts once or twice a dayevery day
Temperature checkevery day
Water changeAbout 25% of the waterevery week
Water testevery week
Glass cleanevery week
Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month

Start a free diary

Venustus Cichlid

Malawi Eyebiter

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Where this comes from

Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at support@furrydiary.app and we will fix it.

FishBase species summary: Nimbochromis livingstonii fishbase.seused for distribution, size, water parameters, diet, IUCN status, taxonomy
Wikipedia: Nimbochromis livingstonii en.wikipedia.orgused for common names, colours, history, fun facts (secondary)
Seriously Fish: Nimbochromis livingstonii seriouslyfish.comused for aquarium care, tank size, behaviour, diet, colours, breeding

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.