Electric yellow cichlid
Labidochromis caeruleus
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F
- 24–28°C
- pH
- 7.5–8.5
- Adult size
- 4.7 in
- 12 cm
- Minimum tank
- 42 gal
- 160 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Easy
- Rarity
- Common
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Lake Malawi
Overview
One of the calmer mbuna, though it still defends territory and the label aggressive fits during breeding. Keep it in a group in at least 160 liters, ideally one male with several females, with plenty of rock cover. It grazes in nature, so feed algae and spirulina-based foods alongside quality pellets, with the occasional brine shrimp or bloodworms. It can share a tank with other mbuna of similar temperament.
In the wild
Electric yellow cichlids live along the rocky shores of Lake Malawi, sheltering in crevices and grazing the algae film on the rocks. The water is hard, alkaline, and clear with little plant growth. Match that with a rockwork tank full of caves and hiding spots, hard water, and a pH around 7.5 to 8.5 in the mid to high 20s C. Open lanes between the rocks help reduce squabbling.
Good to know
This is a mbuna cichlid in the family Cichlidae, reaching about 12 cm, with a bright yellow body and black edging on the fins. It is a maternal mouthbrooder, and the female holds eggs and fry in her mouth. Compared with most mbuna it breeds readily, which makes it one of the easier Malawi cichlids to raise.
Did you know
The bright yellow color holds up well even on a mostly vegetable diet, which is unusual since many fish need carotenoid-rich meaty foods to keep their reds and oranges. This is a big reason it stays such a clean yellow in home tanks.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
Electric yellow cichlid is a mostly peaceful, social 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.
Common questions
What size tank does an Electric yellow cichlid need?
An Electric yellow cichlid needs at least 42 gal (160 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.
What temperature and pH does an Electric yellow cichlid need?
An Electric yellow cichlid is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.
How big does an Electric yellow cichlid get?
An adult Electric yellow cichlid reaches about 4.7 in (12 cm).
Related species
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