Ice blue zebra

Care at a glance

Overview

Keep one male with several females in a rocky tank of at least 210 liters with hard alkaline water at 24 to 28 C, pH 7.8 to 8.6. It is a hardy and colorful mbuna but territorial, so provide caves and mix only with other sturdy rock dwellers. Feed a vegetable heavy diet of spirulina flake and algae pellets with occasional frozen treats. Spawning is easy and females brood the fry in their mouths.

In the wild

The ice blue zebra comes from a small stretch of the southeastern arm of Lake Malawi near Makokola. It lives around rocks and the sandy zones between them. Males turn pale silvery blue with bright orange top fins while females are plain brownish gray.

Good to know

This mbuna has been listed under Pseudotropheus, Maylandia and Metriaclima over the years. It is a maternal mouthbrooder, and the strong difference between the blue orange males and drab females is typical of the group. It naturally lives in a very limited part of the lake.

Did you know

The bright orange dorsal fin over an icy blue body is why the trade tag red top ice blue stuck to this fish.

Related species

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  Zebra mbuna

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  5.9 in (15 cm)55 gal (210 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

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  Red zebra cichlid

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  Blunthead cichlid

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• 

  Kenyi cichlid

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  5.5 in (14 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Bumblebee cichlid

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  5.9 in (15 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)

• 

  Convict Cichlid

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  5.9 in (15 cm)25 gal (95 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)