MELANOCHROMIS AURATUS (CARRYING FEMALE) What you can see in this photo is a carrying Melanochromis auratus (she released two days later) hiding in the dense vegetation of my tank (here is a Cryptocorine secies, while the plant in the foreground is an Amazon swordplant). In this vegetation (which can very nicely substitute rockwork in your tank) the fish feel secure and relaxed since they can easily avoid the other females or males. If you watch this picture closer you will even see a 40 days old Melanochromis chipokae to her right.  The small fish, in an empty tank would be readily chased if not killed on the spot by the carrying mother or during the spawning procedure. Here it can stay within 5 cm from the mother and be invisible. Bear in mind that these are two of the most aggressive species available in the hobby - most aquarists clearly avoid them for community Malawi tanks. Both, when grown adults, will fiercely attack fish double their size. That is the reason for many hiding places in such tanks and plants provide lots of them. You will need the rocks because most mbuna will just choose them for spawning but you don't need them as hiding places.  ...

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