During a visit to a local fish store, I immediately fell for this fish and its beautiful but delicate colors. After bringing it home, the male didn't show its colors as intensely as in the shop, likely because he wasn't fully grown yet and there were no other males to compete with.
Behavior and Feeding
My impression of Tramitichromis intermedius is that of a peaceful and lively fish that is relatively easy to keep. In the wild, it inhabits the sandy areas of Lake Malawi, exhibiting a very interesting behavior: it sifts sand through its gills to find small invertebrates and crustaceans. It shows no significant aggression toward other fish, making it a very pleasant inhabitant for a Malawi setup.
Aquarium Setup
To mimic its natural habitat, the aquarium should be furnished with a thick layer of fine sand for digging. Although peaceful, males need space to build their characteristic flat sand nests during spawning. They thrive best in water with a $pH$ between 7.5 and 8.5 and a temperature of 24-26°C.
Color Development
Over time, the male develops a beautiful green base color on the body with iridescent scales, while females remain more subtle in silver-grey tones. It is a fish that requires patience before it shows its full potential, but it is well worth the wait.
