TankBud

Blue dolphin cichlid

Cyrtocara moorii

Also known as lumphead cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Blue dolphin cichlid (Cyrtocara moorii)
Photographer: Riftreef at en.wikipedia / [1] · CC BY 2.5

Care at a glance

Temperature
77–84°F
25–29°C
pH
7.5–8.5
Adult size
9.8 in
25 cm
Minimum tank
66 gal
250 L
Temperament
Peaceful
Social behavior
Shoaling
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Omnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Lake Malawi

Overview

The blue dolphin cichlid is a big, peaceful Malawi cichlid that needs a big tank with open sand. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

Blue dolphin cichlids in Lake Malawi shadow sand-sifting cichlids and snap up the small invertebrates those fish kick out of the substrate. It is a free meal, so they follow the diggers around and let them do the work.

Caring for the blue dolphin cichlid

Give a group at least 66 gal (250 L), with a deep sand bed and room to cruise the middle of the water. Leave lots of clear swimming space, with a few rock structures rather than a wall of stone.

Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 77 to 84°F (25 to 29°C) with a pH of 7.5 to 8.5. Feed cichlid pellets along with frozen brine shrimp and some spirulina or other plant matter.

Blue dolphin cichlids are calm for Malawi cichlids, but they get territorial when breeding. Keep them in a group of one male to several females.

Males develop a pronounced forehead hump as they mature. Blue dolphin cichlids are maternal mouthbrooders, and the female holds the eggs and fry in her mouth until they can fend for themselves. Breeding them is hard.

Good to know

Cyrtocara moorii is the only species in its genus, in the family Cichlidae. The IUCN lists it as Least Concern.

In the wild

The blue dolphin cichlid lives over open sand in the shallows of Lake Malawi, with rock piles scattered nearby. The lake is hard and alkaline.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The blue dolphin cichlid is a peaceful, shoaling species that keeps to the middle. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a blue dolphin cichlid need?

A blue dolphin cichlid needs at least 66 gal (250 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a blue dolphin cichlid need?

A blue dolphin cichlid is comfortable at 77–84°F (25–29°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.

What does a blue dolphin cichlid eat?

A blue dolphin cichlid eats cichlid pellets along with frozen brine shrimp. Give it some spirulina or other plant matter too.

How big does a blue dolphin cichlid get?

An adult blue dolphin cichlid reaches about 9.8 in (25 cm).

Does a blue dolphin cichlid need a group?

Yes. A blue dolphin cichlid is a shoaling species and should be kept in a group, not singly.

How can you tell a male blue dolphin cichlid from a female?

Males develop a pronounced forehead hump as they mature.

How does a blue dolphin cichlid breed?

The blue dolphin cichlid is a maternal mouthbrooder. The female holds the eggs and fry in her mouth until they can fend for themselves, and breeding it is hard.

Related species