|
A peaceful species, one of the most common species in the hobby mainly due to its bright colors and the mild temperament which makes it suitable for most community tanks. Will regularly feed on the algae from the rocks. A shy fish will hide all day if there is too much tension in the tank. The spawn frequently but are among the least productive of mbuna. It is quite rare to see more than 5-8 young fish in each fry. Experienced fish may carry as much as 25 eggs.
The bright yellow color makes a nice contrast to the green of the plants and matches the yellow color of other mbuna to create a color theme. It is really a joy to see the Pseudotropheus lombardoi (male), the female Melanochromis auratus and their fry, the female Melanochromis johanni and fry, the female Melanochromis chipokae and fry all being yellow in the same tank with the labidos. The presence of the yellow is a perfect complementary to the blue and black of the other fishes creating a really vivid tank. Minimum tank size : 100 cm / 120 liters for a species tank. Lots of hiding spaces - a shy species. Males can usually be distinguished by their wider black stripe in their dorsal, pelvic and anal fins (compare the bottom photo to the top one).
Photo: Jan.2000 by John Reclos - See next page for more photos.
|
