![]() ![]() Perhaps after reading it, you will have a different opinion about the beautiful Red Zebras. Obviously, we won’t use this guide to defend Red Zebra Cichlids to entirety but it is intended to change many aquarists’ perception of these fish.īelow, we discuss the fish’s lifespan, appearance, tank size, diet, behavior, tank mates, breeding, and much more. Well, they will always show slightly violent behavior in captivity but Red Zebras are not as aggressive as many people assume. We love these Cichlids and it hurts to see many people classify them as a naturally aggressive species. Not quite often do we see a beautiful Cichlid exhibit unique color mutations in captivity, but such is Red Zebra Cichlid. They are among the highly sought-after Cichlids to grace even the most boring aquarium.Īnd when you think about the fish’s bright colors, slender bodies, and low maintenance, it’s hard to see why any aquarist would even think about turning them down. There is also a third variant known as "Orange Blotched", these are rare in the wild but popular in the pet trade, they are mottled in colour and both male and females are found with this colour pattern.Red Zebra Cichlid is a stunning rock-dwelling fish of African origin. They are are a bright blue colour, with a hint of barring. While typically both males and females are orange-yellow in colour, a blue morph of the male is also found (typically those collected from the Minos Reef area of Lake Malawi). Identification A relatively short bodied Mbuna Cichlid which can vary in colour morphs depending on their origin in Lake Malawi. Sand substrate is also preferred as they like to dig their homes out.īehaviour A mid-tempered territorial Mbuna Cichlid. ![]() The more caves or hiding places the better. Most people find success in twice a day but only as much as they can eat in two minutes.Įnvironment specifics These are rock dwelling fish and do best in any rocky habitat. Do not give too much protein as the Mbuna are mostly vegetarians and too much protein can cause Malawi Bloat or other problems.įeeding regime Feed like any other Mbuna. Can be kept with other similar-tempered Mbuna, but avoid other similar-shaped "Zebra" species, such as Maylandia callainos or Labidochromis caeruleus, as they can hybridise which is undesirable.ĭiet Will graze on algae. They should be considered mid-tempered compared to other Mbuna. Males will be territorial to one another, but arguments rarely involve any serious injuries. Tank compatibility These should be kept in a harem of 1 male to 3-4 females. Female holds for 21-28 days after which the fry are released. Eggs hatch and the fry are reared in the mother's mouth. The female releases the eggs and also hurries to collect the eggs in her mouth, the male has eggs spots in its anal fin to confuse the female to thinking that they are also eggs and hoodwinks the female to collect the sperm in its mouth and fertilization happens in the mouth. Blue variants of the males are also present. Sexing Dimorphic, Females are lighter colour of orange than males. Additional names Red Zebra Mbuna, Ice Blue Zebra, Cherry Red Cichlid, Orange Blotch Cichlid Additional scientific names Metriaclima estherae, Pseudotropheus estherae
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