PUNDAMILIA NYEREREI (RUTI ISLAND)

Scientific Name(s): Pundamilia Nyererei

Common Name(s): Ruti

Origin: Africa

Family: Cichlidae

Species Type: Ruti Island

Maximum Size: 4 -5 inches

Life Span: 9-12 years

Natural Habitat: (Endemic to Lake Victoria) Around the island of Ruti, usually
found along the shallow rocky shorelines. Found in places with lots of
rock scapes, caves and nitches in the wild.

Diet: Omnivore, in the wild they eat mosquito larvae, brine shrimp, small crustaceans, algae and
plants. Ruti's will accept many frozen and freeze dried foods, flake and
food sticks.

Temperature: 75-82 Degrees

PH: 7 - 8.5 and 20 dGH, hard water.

Minimum Tank Size: 40 gallon long but 55g or larger is better!

Tank Region: Lower to middle tank region.

Temperament: Mildly aggressive, but can become very aggressive during breeding and courtship.

Possible Tank Mates: Christmas fulu, anchor island, sp44, any of the Nyererei family. They have been housed with Mbuna successfully.

Filtration and Setup: Recommend a good biological filter or refugium setup. Enjoys
a lot of places to hide such as rock work, caves, niches, slate, sand is a
good substrate. A gravel substrate can be used as well. Plants can be used but will most likely be dug up or become an expensive snack.

Coloration: The female keeps her juvenile coloration. The male gets a very red upper body and a dark blueish
head with dark caudal and anal fins. Some have a nice hint of green in
them as well. Some yellow throughout the mid section and 11-12 dark vertical bars
that run along the body from the head to the anal fin.

Breeding: Maternal mouth brooder. Typical Cihlid mating dance occurs, usually in a pit
that is dug in the substrate or on a flat surface such as slate or
rocks. The female will hold eggs in her mouth for about 3 weeks once the
male has fertilized them. Females will watch after the fry for 4 to 7 days
before leaving them to be on their own. Males become aggressive during breeding to other
tank mates and to females. They should be kept in breeding groups of at least a 1 to 3 ratio M/F.

Juvenile male