The Lake Malawi sardine or lake sardine (Engraulicypris sardella) is an African species of freshwater fish in the Cyprinidae family. It is endemic to Lake Malawi and its outlet, the (upper) Shire River; it is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. The Lake Malawi sardine is an important fishery species in Lake Malawi, both as a food fish and as bait. It is a pelagic, shoaling species that feeds on zooplankton. Lake sardine grow to a maximum size of 13 cm (5.1 in) TL, though commonly they are smaller.