The aquarium decor should provide plenty of rocky formations which provide caves and crevices for the fish to retreat to when it feels threatened, along with open sandy areas for swimming. How to properly feed Cobalt Blue Zebra and provide a healthy diet. Plenty of rock formations, rock piles or rocky caves should be included with some vegetation consisting of fake plants or very hardy hard water plants. For the time being, Metriaclima seems to be the consensus proper genus name. The entire process is quite stressful for the female, so a separate tank for her during this period is recommended. Blue cobalt cichlid - Maylandia callainos. The aquarists must be willing to do frequent water changes and provide appropriate tank mates. Recommended to you based on your activity and what's popular • Feedback Family: Cichlidae. Aggressiveness: Aggressive. The first step in keeping Cobalt Zebra Cichlids is choosing the right aquarium. The Cobalt Blue Zebra originated in deep rocky waters of Lake Malawi in Africa. Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid are very territorial and once they have established themselves within a particular area they will defend their turf very aggressively. ... Orange Blotch Zebra cichlid FREE OVERNIGHT SHIPPING. Usual size in fish tanks: 6 - 8 cm (2.36 - 3.15 inch) 0 14. The species Metriclima estherae is very similar and includes a blue version which can be differentiated by the occurrence of faint horizontal banding. Place of Origin: Lake Malawi. The fish should also be fed either live or high quality frozen foods to ensure that they have all the vitamins and minerals they need. spawning process is intriguing. Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid are very territorial and once they have established themselves within a particular area they will defend their turf very aggressively. In the wild, they’d have little hideaways in the gaps between rocks. This fish is an insectivore in the wild so a good cichlid flake will need to be fed. Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid will accept most commercial fish foods designed for Cichlids; however, it is essential that they receive a large amount of vegetable matter in their diet. Turns out that the reason why they both were aggressive because there was spawning in the tank and they were getting protective. Other African zebra color variations include the Pearl Zebra, which is a pearl white color, the Red or Cherry Zebra, which is red/orange and the Max Size: 5". Common name: Blue cobalt cichlid. Hardy plants that can tolerate the high pH of the African Rift Lake environment are also recommended for their looks and additional filtration properties. However, once the female has released the fry from her mouth she should be returned to the main group of fish, so that she does not lose her place in the group hierarchy. Most African cichlids kept in home aquariums are rock-dwellers. The Cobalt Blue Zebra is too aggressive for Haplochromis and Adult Size: 5 - 6". In a 75 to 100 gallon tank, a grouping of 10 or more mbunas is recommended to spread out aggressive behavior. The Cobalt Blue Zebra is compatible with Mbunas like the Auratus, Orange It is also known as the Cobalt Blue Mbuna and the Cobalt Zebra. Common Name: Blue Cobalt Zebra. view 12 full verison photos of 180 gallons freshwater fish - photo #9 - 8.5" Male nimbochromis venustus in full breeding colors. The dominant male will continually keep harassing and killing off the weakest members of the tank. Get the best deals on Aggressive Live Aquarium Cichlid Fish when you shop the largest online selection at eBay.com. Remarks: Male Blue Cobalt Zebra (Metriaclima callainos) are light blue.Females are slightly more gray but retain much of the blue coloration. Cobalt Blue Zebras will eat flake foods, spirulina flakes and cichlid pellets. Free shipping on many items ... Cobalt Blue Zebra, (Maylandia callainos) cichlid FREE OVERNIGHT SHIPPING. Scientific name: Maylandia callainos. It is important that the female is not stressed during this time as she will not be feeding and will be somewhat weak from lack of food and carrying the fry in her mouth. Well, first of all, if you keep fish in an aquarium that is too small, they will: 1. The Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid comes from the rocky shores of Lake Malawi, Africa. Once the fry are able to fend for themselves, the female stops allowing them in her mouth. Zebra cichlids are extremely aggressive to their own and other species. Temperament: Aggressive, especially displays conspecific aggression with males of the same species. Clean water and proper pH are important in maintaining an mbuna tank. It is a moderately aggressive cichlid, but not a community tank specimen that can be kept with fish other than cichlids. To do so, there are two rules you have to keep in mind. Click or tap the images below to view full size images, then click or tap off the image to shrink again. It suppresses their immun… Rule #1: Cobalt Zebra Cichlids must be kept in an aquarium of at least 30 gallons. Like other mbuna species, this is an aggressive and territorial animal that should not be housed… Hobbyist Born and raised, Currently have all sizes available from 1" to 4" adults. This male was sold to me as a Blue Cobalt Cichlid (Pseudotropheus zebra). Tank Mate Compatibility: Other Mbuna Cichlids and Cuckoo Catfish. The female nips at these eggs spots and the male releases his sperm, which then reaches the females mouth and fertilizes the real eggs that she has previously picked up. Ice blue zebra African cichlid is from southeast arm of Lake Malawi ! The nomenclature of Pseudotropheus seems to be in a state of permanent uproar. Like other mbuna species, this is an aggressive and territorial animal that should not be housed together with peaceful and placid tank mates. Scientific Name: Metriaclima callainos Place of Origin: Lake Malawi Adult Size: 5 - 6"Temperament: Aggressive, especially towards other males of the same species. She then picks these up in her mouth. There are eggs spots on the anal fin, which become important during breeding. Description: Males and females are both colored. Males have a soft fluorescent blue ground color, without any vertical bars, & have about 5 egg-spots on their anal fin. You will be sent roughly 1"-3" fish unless requested otherwise. Scientific Name: Metriaclima callainos. The Zebra Cichlid is a mouth brooder and the spawning process is intriguing. Once a female has been successfully courted, she will lay her eggs in the nesting site that the male has prepared. The Zebra Obliquidens Cichlid, Haplochromis latifasciata, originates from Lake Kyoga and Lake Newampasa in Uganda, Africa.There is quite a bit of confusion regarding the identification of this fish and the Zebra Obliquidens Cichlid is often classified and referred to interchangeably as (Astatotilapia latifasciata).. The tank should be 300 – 400 litres and should have rocks and hiding spaces to provide escape from aggression of other tankmates. The coloration of the Cobalt Blue is a pale blue background with seven to eight blue-black bars with four orange egg-shaped spots on the anal fin. A proper breeding aquarium setup will include a few flat stones and areas of open substrate that the fish can use as a spawning site. Cobalt Blue Zebra Mbuna Cichlid Pictures: a 5" long mature male Cobalt swimming in one of our aquariums, when one of us took this picture. In either scenario, a 50 gallon or larger aquarium is recommended with a substrate of either sand or mixed sand and crushed coral. However, after investigating further, I discovered that the "Blue Cobalt" now has its own species name: Maylandia callainos. Johanni, Breeding: Normal, Egg Layer, Mouthbrooder, Lemon Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid were formerly classified as Pseudotropheus callainos or Metriaclima callainos and is still often referenced by these names by many sources. The males are easily identified as they are far more brightly colored than females. Females are a lighter gray/blue. Become stressed Causing stress is the last thing you want to do to your fish. The Blue Zebra Cichlid will thrive in a rocky community aquarium with sandy bottoms. The beautiful Zebra Obliquidens cichlid hails from the planted perimeters of lake Kyoga and lake Nawampasa. Cobalt Blue Zebras build nests by picking up rocks in their mouth and moving them, so underground filters are quickly exposed in an mbuna tank. They should not be fed live worms or live brine shrimp, as these can bloat and kill the fish. During this period, the female rarely eats. spaces to provide escape from aggression of other tankmates. Kenyi, Lemon Meanwhile the male displays the egg spots on his anal fin. In order to replicate the waters of their natural habitat, hobbyists will want to provide plenty of water surface agitation or wet/dry filtration to provide high levels of dissolved oxygen within the aquarium. These spots are the same size and color as the real eggs. A female that is ready to spawn will then enter the territory and the two will interact aggressively. The scientific name is Metriaclima callainos, but see the discussion below about Metriaclima estherae. The main tank filtration should consist of a canister filter or wet/dry filter with additional water movement via a powerhead being recommended. If you’ve never kept fish before, you might be wondering why this rule is in place. The female will carry the eggs in her mouth for about 1 month before she release the free swimming fry. How to successfully keep Cobalt Blue Zebra in the home aquarium. The Cobalt Blue will do best in a Cichlid community aquarium with numerous rocks and caves, as well as a sandy bottom and plenty of places to set up territories. Apparently there were just too many morphs of P. zebra, and scientists needed to separate them out again. The female Cobalt Blue Zebra then releases a couple of eggs into a gravel pit. The Cobalt Blue Zebra (Maylandia callainos) is endemic to Lake Malawi, where it is most commonly found living in the north and north eastern areas of the lake. They are found living in rocky formations along the shoreline, where they live in and around rock caves and crevices. Colbert Blue Zebra (Pseudotropheus zebra) The Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid is also known as the Cobalt Blue Cichlid or Zebra Malawi Cichlid and comes from the rocky shores of Lake Malawi, Africa. Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid were formerly classified as Pseudotropheus callainos or Metriaclima callainos and is still often referenced by these names by many sources. Pindani, and Red Zebra. After the female had her babies, the aggressiveness went away. The word Mbuna means rock fish, which refers to its habitat. ... A grouping including more than 10 mbunas is recommended as this will spread out aggressive behavior. Peacock Cichlids. Linni; Insignus; Msobo Magunga Cichlid; Ngara Flametail Peacock; OB Peacock (Red Flush) Snow White; Textilus; Venustus; Special Price. Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid were formerly classified as Pseudotropheus callainos or Metriaclima callainos and is still often referenced by these names by many sources. After spawning, the female Cobalt Blue Zebra keeps the eggs in her mouth for about a week until they hatch. Region of Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa. Because of this aggressive courting behaviour it is important to have a group of females in the tank so that the males overtures are spread out amongst the group and do not overwhelm a single female. The “Cobalt Blue Zebra” is one of the dozens of other Pseudotropheus Zebras, which have recently been reclassified & given their own genus: Metriaclima. The Cobalt Blue Zebra is a mouth brooder and the Ahli, so they should only be kept with other mbunas. In a 75 to 100 gallon tank, a grouping of 10 or more mbunas is recommended to spread out aggressive behavior. Blotch or OB, which has black blotches on a pink/orange background. Hobbyists looking to breed Cobalt Blue Zebra will want to keep a single male specimen with three to four females in a 4o to 50 gallon aquarium setup specifically for breeding. When the male is preparing to breed he will exhibit very intense coloration and will choose a spawning site that he will then attempt to attract one of the females to join him and mate. Although some recommend using underground filters, external filters and bio-wheels simultaneously to maintain quality, my experience is that underground filters Not grow to their appropriate size 2. Scientific Name: Metriaclima callainos. Cherry Red Zebra; Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid; Electric Yellow Cichlid; Featherfin Catfish; Green Mbweca; Hap. The tank should be 75 - 100 gallons and should have rocks and hiding Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid: African Cichlids: Cichlidae: Metriaclima callainos: The average adult male is 5 inches while the average adult female is 3 inches. Maylandia callainos (sometimes referred to as cobalt zebra, cobalt blue mbuna or cobalt blue zebra cichlid) is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi where they only occurred naturally in Nkhata Bay though it has now been introduced to other locations. After that, the fry will seek safety by retreating into the female's mouth for up to a month. However, it will be able to co-exist with other species that are similarly aggressive. There should be smooth surfaced gravel for them to pick up in their mouths and move. Habitat: Sediment-Rich Rocky Habitat Scientific Name: Metriaclima greshakei The genus name Maylandia is now used to describe all former members of the (zebra) group of Pseudotropheus. The best way to recreate this in an aquarium is to use rocks too. It is best to overcrowd the tank to reduce aggression and the formation of territories. The Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid is a maternal mouth brooder that build nests in the bottom substrate from small rocks when they are ready to breed. Must be kept in semi-aggressive Mbuna Cichlid set ups only. This fish is also known as Pseudotropheus zebra and Redtop Cobalt Zebra. Recommended water hardness (dGH): 10 - 26°N (178.57 - 464.29ppm) 0°C 32°F 30°C 86°F Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid. His name is Azul. Males Zebras will be highly aggressive towards their own species therefore keep one male Zebra to a tank with several females in … Temperature: 74-82°. They are usually too aggressive to keep with Peacock Cichlids and Haplochromis. Females are a little lighter shade of blue, almost grayish-blue. The coloration of the Cobalt Blue is a pale blue background with seven to eight blue-black bars with four orange egg-shaped spots on the anal fin. Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid are very territorial and once they have established themselves within a particular area they will defend their turf very aggressively. pH: 7.5-8.4. Hobbyists can successful keep this species in small groups in smaller aquariums or mixed with large numbers of specimens in larger African Cichlid aquariums. Description: This variety of Cobalt Zebra carries the OB gene, giving it deep blue blotches on its powdery blue body. Zebra Obliquidens are semi-aggressive fish; its relatively easy to keep them in a same species tank or include them in an African Cichlid Community Tank, just few things to keep in mind while setting up a Tank for this fish. For this reason, a male Zebra Cichlid should be kept with several females in a very large tank. The strain we have to sell now is the best available, as you can see in the picture. The female will then scoop the eggs up into her mouth, during which the male which exhibits egg shapes spots on his tail fins will swim in front of the female and deposit his sperm while the female and the eggs are next to his tail fin. $48.97 to $94.97. The Cobalt Blue Zebra can also be kept with Synodontis Catfish. Males have a pale blue body with four orange egg spots on the anal fin and females are either light blue or white and don’t have any egg spots. These fish need open area to swim unlike Mbuna they spend quite sometime in the open which is middle & surface area of the aquarium. It is for this reason that the other breeding fish should be removed from the aquarium so as not to cause undue stress to the brooding mother. Cobalt Blue Zebra native habitat, distribution, behavior & aquarium compatibility. For optimal color and health their diet will need to be supplemented with brine shrimp, daphnia, or cyclops. Males are a lighter, almost translucent blue with egg spots on … The process is then repeated until the female has a brood of between 10 and 50 eggs in her mouth. This species can reach a length of 8 centimetres (3.1 in) SL.It can also be found in the aquarium trade. Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid - Lake Malawi - Mbuna. Click on each picture to see a large picture. The Cobalt Blue Zebra has a light blue color applied consistently over the entire body with no faint zebra banding. Hardness: Hard. The Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid is also known as the Cobalt Blue Cichlid or Zebra Malawi Cichlid and comes from the rocky shores of Lake Malawi, Africa. The Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid is a maternal mouth brooder that build nests in the bottom substrate from small rocks when they are ready to breed. Hobbyists should either keep a small group of a single male specimen and 2 or 3 female Cobalt Blue Zebras together in an aquarium that is either large enough to provide adequate territory or overcrowded with enough African Cichlids so that no single specimen can establish its own territory. They are usually too aggressive to keep with Peacock Cichlids and Haplochromis. Metriaclima greshakei ‘Cobalt Redtop Zebra’ is a cichlid from Lake Malawi in eastern Africa. You need to know how to set up your tank like this at home. Auratus Cichlid; Cherry Red Zebra; Pearl Zebra; Yellow Tail Acei Cichlid If she is stressed she may spit out the brood prematurely or even eat the young fry. The aquarium conditions should be maintained at a constant 8.2 to 8.4 pH and 78 to 80°F temperature. When kept in larger community aquariums they must be provided adequate filtration, plenty of dissolved oxygen and have their territorial nature accommodated either by aquarium size and aquascaping or mitigated via over crowding. Recommended pH range for the species: 7 - 8.4. Mbunas are very territorial, aggressive fish, even more so than Haplochromis Cichlids like the Blue Mbunas enjoy plants, but will uproot them because they constantly rearrange the substrate. In addition to exhibiting brilliant coloration, the male will also aggressively court the females by pursuing them vigorously about the tank. The male Cobalt Blue Zebra will establish a territory and its colors will become enhanced when it is ready to breed. How to successfully breed Cobalt Blue Zebra in the aquarium environment. 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