Iodotropheus is a small genus

Genus

In biology, a genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms, which is an example of definition by genus and differentia...

 of cichlid

Cichlid

Cichlids are fishes from the family Cichlidae in the order Perciformes. Cichlids are members of a group known as the Labroidei along with the wrasses , damselfish , and surfperches . This family is both large and diverse. At least 1,300 species have been scientifically described, making it one of...

 fish

Fish

Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...

 endemic to Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi

Lake Malawi , is an African Great Lake and the southernmost lake in the Great Rift Valley system of East Africa. This lake, the third largest in Africa and the eighth largest lake in the world, is located between Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania...

 in east Africa

East Africa

East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...

. It currently includes three species

Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...

. The lavender mbuna, Iodotropheus sprengerae, also known as the rusty cichlid, is the most commonly encountered member of the genus in the aquarium trade.

Species

• • Iodotropheus declivitas
    Iodotropheus declivitas
    Iodotropheus declivitas is a species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It is endemic to Malawi. Its natural habitat is freshwater lakes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:* Kasembe, J. 2005. . Downloaded on 4 August 2007....
    
    Stauffer, 1994.
  • Lavender mbuna, Iodotropheus sprengerae
    Iodotropheus sprengerae
    The rusty cichlid, Iodotropheus sprengerae, is a freshwater fish of the cichlid family. It is also known as lavender mbuna or lavender cichlid. This mbuna species is endemic to Boadzulu and Chinyankwazi Islands regions of Lake Malawi. It prefers a temperature range of 24-26°C.Rusty cichlids are...
    
    Oliver & Loiselle, 1972.
  • Iodotropheus stuartgranti
    Iodotropheus stuartgranti
    Iodotropheus stuartgranti is a species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It is found in Malawi and Mozambique. Its natural habitat is freshwater lakes.-Source:* Kasembe, J. 2005. . Downloaded on 4 August 2007....
    
    Konings, 1990.

In the aquarium

Like all cichlids from Lake Malawi these cichlids are best maintained in hard, alkali

Alkali

In chemistry, an alkali is a basic, ionic salt of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal element. Some authors also define an alkali as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7. The adjective alkaline is commonly used in English as a synonym for base,...

ne water. Iodotropheus are best kept in aquariums with volumes greater than 120 l

Litre

pic|200px|right|thumb|One litre is equivalent to this cubeEach side is 10 cm1 litre water = 1 kilogram water The litre is a metric system unit of volume equal to 1 cubic decimetre , to 1,000 cubic centimetres , and to 1/1,000 cubic metre...

 (31.5 gallon

Gallon

The gallon is a measure of volume. Historically it has had many different definitions, but there are three definitions in current use: the imperial gallon which is used in the United Kingdom and semi-officially within Canada, the United States liquid gallon and the lesser used United States dry...

).