Blue mbuna - Labeotropheus fuelleborni

Scientific name: Labeotropheus fuelleborni

Common name: Blue mbuna

Family: Cichlidae

Usual size in fish tanks: 13 - 18 cm (5.12 - 7.09 inch)

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Recommended pH range for the species: 7.5 - 8.8

Recommended water hardness (dGH): 12 - 30°N (214.29 - 535.71ppm)

0°C 32°F30°C 86°F

Recommended temperature: 21 - 28 °C (69.8 - 82.4°F)

The way how these fish reproduce: Spawning

Where the species comes from: Africa

Temperament to its own species: peaceful

Temperament toward other fish species: aggressive/territorial

Usual place in the tank: Middle levels

Common Names

Blue Mbuna or Fuelleborn’s cichlid

Food

Herbivorous - Blue mbunas are mostly algae eaters, scraping algae off the rocks. Spirulina, lettuce and peas are readily accepted. They will also accept live foods even though they are mostly herbivores.

Sexing

Males have “dummy egg spots” on their anal fins. The females tend to be slightly smaller than males.

Breeding

Blue Mbuna are mouthbrooding cichlids which means fertilization and hatching takes place in the female’s mouth. The young will be released after three weeks when they are free swimming and ready to take crushed flake food. Brood size is usually between 25-50 fry.

Lifespan

12 years

Origin

Lake Malawi of the East Africa Rift Valley, where the currents are a little rough.

Description

There are many different color variations of this species, for example the “red top morph” and the “orange blotch morph”.

Sources

Aquarium Fishes of the World by Dr. Herbert R. Axelrod, Dr. Warren E. Burgess, Neal Pronek, Glen S. Axelrod, David E. BoruchowitzAquarium Fish by Dick MillsEncyclopedia of Aquarium and Pond Fish by David Alderton

Pictures

Bought by aqua-fish.net from jjphoto.dk