Burton's mouthbrooder

Care at a glance

Overview

A male with several females does well in a tank of at least 200 liters with sand, some rock and hardy plants. Water is flexible from neutral to alkaline, 24 to 28 C and pH 7.5 to 8.6. Males are aggressive when breeding, so keep enough females to spread attention and give cover. Feed flake, pellets and frozen foods, since it eats almost anything.

In the wild

Burton's mouthbrooder lives in Lake Tanganyika and the shallow rivers and marshes around it. It is an adaptable fish found over sand and among plants near the shore. Males wear a colorful mix of blue, yellow and red with egg shaped spots on the anal fin.

Good to know

Astatotilapia burtoni is a major laboratory model for studying how social rank changes fish behavior, brain and hormones. Dominant males color up and hold territory while subordinate males fade and look like females. The colored spots on the male's anal fin play a role in its mouthbrooding courtship.

Did you know

Scientists have shown that when a dominant male loses his territory he not only fades in color but his body chemistry shifts within minutes, one of the clearest examples of behavior changing biology.

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