The Purple acei goes under 2 disputed names: Pseudotropheus acei and Gephyrochromis acei. This fish is a "mbuna", or algae scraper, from the rocky regions of Lake Malawi in Africa. This species is rather unaggressive for Malawi species. Instead of trying to prove its dominance, it instead accepts its role (as far as I have seen) and concentrates on other things besides dominance and shelter. The acei's that I have witnessed prefer to be open-water swimmers as opposed hiding in crevasses or other such shelter.
As can be seen, Purple Acei's have a dark purple body that is basically uniform in shade without pattern (stripes, spots, etc.). They may or may not have a glistening operculum (gill cover), which can be seen in the top picture. Their dorsal, caudal, and anal fins are a bright yellow. This yellow is most apparent in the smaller individuals, but is still present in larger ones as well.
Besides being generally pretty, aceis have another appealing feature: their attitude. They are just about the friendliest specie of cichlid that I know of. They swim in open water, and often hang out at the top of the aquarium. When they see you, they start splashing around very excitedly and beg for food. This is their upper hand for not being aggressive...they get more food than the other ones by being at the feeding spot all the time. This also helps them grow faster. This is a trait that I have seen in several acei's, so this is not limited to one individual.
Their perpetual hunger and excitement are contagious.
Their tankmates pick up on this, and may eventually become as bad as the aceis themselves! In my old tank, I had a large acei that did this, and the rest caught on. Eventually, anytime you'd pass by the tank they'd all be up at the top splashing around...making you feel guilty. The acei tamed them so much that I could literally pet them. Sometimes I'd stick my finger in the water like a food pellet, and they'd nip at it. That acei was the only fish that I've seen that would eat even while dying! Fish don't do that!
I have a new acei which displays many habits as the old one. He is my current favorite in the tank, because they are a fun fish to own. He hasn't grown to large proportions like my old one, but looks exactly like the very top pic on the page.
Past Features:
Red Devil
Haplochromis
Jack Dempsey
Malawi Eyebiter
Cichlid Tank
