Mangarahara cichlid

Rediscovered through personal ad

In the early 2000s, some Mangarahara cichlids were donated to London Zoo. The species had not yet been scientifically described, but it was known that it came from a small area around the Mangarahara River in Madagascar, where it was believed to be completely extinct. The area was under great threat of environmental degradation, for example through the damming of rivers that drained the fish’s habitat. 

The donated fish, along with a pair of the same species at the Berlin Zoo, were considered to be the last living Mangarahara cichlids on earth. An unsuccessful mating attempt was made in Berlin, where the male killed the female. After that, there were only 3 males left. Two in London, and one in Berlin. In 2013, a search was therefore started, hoping that there was a private individual who had Mangarahara cichlids in their aquarium. 

An answer came from a man in Madagascar, who said he knew of a place where the species lived in the wild! During an expedition, a small group of Mangarahara cichlids was finally found. They lived in a small remnant of the area they once lived in. 18 specimens were captured, to be bred on a slightly larger scale! Since then, the species has spread to several public aquariums and researchers around the world – including us here at Malmö Museum’s Aquarium. We are now participating in a conservation programme for the species! 

Known as the “Red Lady”

The Mangarahara cichlid is endemic to the small area of northern Madagascar. When a species is endemic it means that it is only found in a single place, such as a country, a lake, a mountainous area, or an island. In Madagascar, freshwater fish are the most endangered group of vertebrates, and of those, the Mangarahara cichlid is probably the most endangered. The Mangarahara cichlid is also called the Red Lady, a name that comes from a local language in Madagascar, and refers to the red edges of the male’s beautiful, long fins. When the Mangarahara cichlid reproduces, the female lays a couple of hundred eggs, on the bottom or on rocky surfaces in the water. When the fry have hatched, the female guards her fry alone, very closely.