Yellow Lab (Labidochromis caeruleus)

Description

The Electric Yellow Cichlid Labidochromis caeruleus is one of the most popular African cichlids because of the beautiful yellow coloring. It is usually seen in its golden phase, thus its common names also include Yellow Lab Cichlid, Electric Yellow Lab, Yellow Labido, Lemon Yellow Lab, and Lemon drop Cichlid.

This strikingly yellow morph is only one variety of this fish however, there are actually about a dozen naturally occurring color morphs. As a group this species is known as the Blue Streak Hap as well as Labidochromis Yellow, Labidochromis White, Pearl Labidochromis, and Blue-White Labido. Blue morphs as well as white varieties are occasionally available to the hobbyist.

Blue Streak Haps are widespread throughout Lake Malawi, but the yellow variety is found only in the Nkhata Bay between the Islands of Charo and Mbowe. Author Marc Elieson gives a fascinating overview of the the discovery and introduction of this color morph to the hobby in his article entitled “Labidochromis caeruleus“. He describes how this color morph was first found and collected by Stuart Grant and his divers around 1980. They were then bred in large quantities by Pierre Brichard in his fish facility in Burundi, Africa, located on Lake Tanganyika. Brichard began offering the offspring for sale in 1986, which caused a great deal of confusion because he initially called them “Labidochromis tanganicae“. Fortunately has all been sorted out as they are not Tanganyika cichlids, but rather a xanthic variation of L. caeruleus.

These fish are members of the Mbuna group. Mbunas are small, dynamic rock-dwelling cichlids from Lake Malawi, Africa. There are 13 genera full of very active and aggressive personalities of Mbuna cichlids. The African word “mbuna” comes from the Tonga people of Malawi and means “rockfish” or “rock-dwelling”. This name aptly describes the environment these fish live in as opposed to the open water swimmers like the Utaka cichlids and other “haps”.

The Electric Yellow Labs are a most interesting African cichlid. They stand out with their brilliant coloration but also because they are one of the most peaceful of the Mbuna species. As an omnivore and being somewhat shy, they are very versatile and adaptable to all sorts of cichlid setups. They can live singly or in pairs. They are not territorial but they will be aggressive towards other fish that are similar in body shape or color. Other peaceful Mbunas as well as Peacock Cichlids, Featherfins, and Lamprologus species can make good tankmates.

These truly attractive fish are ideal for the beginning cichlid keeper. They can be maintained in an aquarium as small as 30 gallons, though 50 gallons or so is ideal, and they are generally easy to care for. They are most comfortable in an aquarium with lots of rocks and caves that provide hiding places for it to dart in and out of. They like a sandy bottom and if you provide plants they will not burrow or in any other way disturb them. They are very durable and less susceptible to Malawi Bloat, which is an affliction that many African cichlids are prone to if the herbivore aspect of their dietary needs are not closely managed.