This cichlid is one of my absolute favorites!
The first time I saw it, I was like, “I’ve got buy one”! But it was very expensive at that time, around €500,00Euro or $600,00USD, for a single fish! So no! I didn’t get one. Then a couple of years ago it went down to €200,00Euro or $240,00USD, and then even further down in price. Today it’s more affordable but, now you can’t get one, because it’s so…rare. “Thank you so much! I love my life”! I’m sorry!!! but I just had to get it out of my system! Yes it is now a very RARE fish to find. Not only in the hobby but also in the wild. It’s not so much the aquarium hobby’s fault. A bit of it surely is. But it’s actually more because of the exploitation that’s going on Madagascar. Tourist facilities and mostly the agriculture expansion that is destroying the wilderness at this point and keeps going on.
What is it about this cichlid that’s so great? The colors man! The colors! It’s pitch black, almost midnight blue in the light and those sparks on their gills, like stars in the night sky, WOW!!! It’s a gorgeous fish! And how it changes in the light from that pitch black to midnight blue! It is truly an amazing fish!
To own this fish, you have responsibility to preserve it, long term. Obviously, you should obligate yourself to do this with ALL of your fish you decide to keep in your aquarium! But, this one is one of the special ones!
In fact! On that note. Thanks to several breeding projects by aquarium hobbyist there still exists 30 different species of fish in the hobby, that are instinct in the wild!
That is something to think about!
But again, back to the topic at hand, the Paratilapia polleni. What’s so great about it? It’s not just “the colours”, that makes it so great.
Let’s dive in to this incredible species.
These pictures shows how beautiful this fish really is. But I can promise you one thing. It’s nothing against seeing it up close in real life with your own eyes! That’s a WOW-factor! I kid you not!!!
Paratilapia polleni “Madagascan Small Spotted or Black Diamond Polleni” is 28 cm or 11 inches. It’s locality is the East & West hillsides of Madagascar. It is a RARE an ENDANGERED species! It has small bright spots looking like small stars on its entire black body.
Note! “There is however a controversy about the species. Before it was said polleni and bleekeri was two separate species. But now the conclusion may be, that it is in fact the same species. And the one called bleekeri, a species with much larger spots on it body, should be named andapa. But! Sense this hasn’t been formally excepted and established, I will go on with the presentation as they are now called, polleni (“small spotted”) and polleni (“large spotted”)”.
This is the most hardy of ALL cichlid species in the world!
It can tolerate almost any water conditions and stand a temperature difference between as low as 15o Celsius and as extreme high as 40o Celsius! That translates to, 59-104o Fahrenheit!
WHAT!!! That is amazing numbers! And this is what makes so great and stand out from any other cichlid in the world!
Paratilapia polleni ”large spotted” former ”bleekeri” or, maybe soon named, andapa, “Madagascan Large Spotted” or “Black Stary Night Bleekeri” is 28 cm or 11 inches. The exact same as it’s family member.
Locality is the East & Northwestern coastline of Madagascar. It’s even more RARE and therefore critically ENDANGERED. It’s a bit more aggressive then the polleni. This species has a bit larger spots on its body then the polleni ”small spotted” species. Other then that they are almost identical. That’s why the confusion were if it was the same species or two different kinds.
You’re lucky to get a hold of one! Or at least, getting a pair. I know I will! As soon as I can find a Paratilapia polleni ”small spotted” or a P. polleni ”large spotted”, and, that is captive breed! You must get a pair and help preserve this gem of a jewel!
OBSERVE! In order to have a successful breeding in captivity, you need to start off with 8 young individuals and let them pair out.
Cheers!
The Aquatic Studio! 
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