malawis - quick question

[Rookie]

Hi,
Maybe this is a dof question but here goes... are malawis gill sifters?
Cheers
Helene

[Slojo]

Nope most are algae grazers,some like sushi(Malawi Eyebiter) and some even graze scales off their cousins.

[Reedfish]

My Mbuna used to pick the sand up in the mouth, and spit it out again.
Some did come out of their gill covers. Not sure that they were purposefully sifting through their gills though.

[azurekoi]

Aulonocara species(open sandbed habitat species) gain nutrition from aufwuchs/detritus from sifting sand... remember about 15 years ago when I spent 3 months diving the Lake,spending many a hour watching them do this... However,in an home aquarium,the nutrition that they recieve from our substrate is negligible...