Cobalt zebra cichlid bright blue - Pseudotropheus callainos

The Lake Malawi endemic Cobalt Zebra Cichlid, Pearl Zebra Cichlid, Cobalt Zebra Cichlid  or Cobalt Zebra for short, Maylandia callainos (synonym: Pseudotropheus callainos) from the East African Rift Valley is a resident of the rocky littoral and thus belongs to the Mbuna. The Cobalt Zebra inhabits the rocky zone on the west coast of Lake Malawi in Nkhata Bay. This Malawi cichlid lives in rocky structures and should find these also in the aquarium. Here you buy the variant Maylandia callainos "bright blue", which is characterized by a particularly beautiful bright bluish color.

The Cobalt Zebra Cichlid "light blue" shows a continuous light bluish coloration, which can be a bit more intense in the fins. The juvenile color is bright blue. Males tend to be more heavily colored and slightly slimmer around the waist than females, and their mouths are also set deeper. In the aquarium, male Pearl Zebra cichlids grow up to 12 inches long, while females remain slightly smaller.

The cobalt zebra cichlid from Lake Malawi feeds omnivorously. As an mbuna, the omnivore in Lake Malawi eats mainly growth and the small animals living in it. In the aquarium the Cobalt Zebra Cichlid can be fed with special cichlid food, high fiber live food and frozen food such as daphnia, krill or artemia as well as with food for omnivorous aquarium fish in the form of granules or flakes and also with vegetable food tabs (e.g. spirulina tabs) as additional food.

Maylandia callainos is an attractively colored, quite territorial cichlid from Lake Malawi. Large caves and rock structures as hiding places and demarcation of territories are therefore important. Sand in the foreground of the aquarium mimics the transition zone from rocky littoral to sandy zone. A dark sand color promotes the coloration of the Cobalt Zebra "bright blue".

Keeping in a small group of one male with a harem of 2-3 females or in a small group of 10 with an excess of females has proven successful. The aquarium for these medium sized African cichlids should hold from 400 liters upwards.

The water values for these beautiful blue mbuna from Lake Malawi should be rather soft to medium hard with a pH of 7.5 to 8.5, the aquarium temperature should be between 22 and 28 °C. A good water quality is crucial, Maylandia (Pseudotropheus) callainos "bright blue" reacts very strongly to bad water values and organic water pollution.

The Brigth Blue Maylandia can be well socialized with other Malawi cichlids with similar requirements. Very well fit Labidochromis, Pseudotropheus, Melanochromis, Metricacliema, other Maylandia and Cynotilapia as a socialization to the Cobalt Zebra Cichlid. Then, of course, the aquarium must be adapted in size.

After mating, the female carries the fertilized spawn in her mouth until the fry hatch. The larvae of the Pearl Zebra Cichlid hatch after about 2.5 to 3 weeks, depending on temperature. The mother also takes the fry protectively in her mouth from time to time when threatened.

Breeding of Maylandia callainos in the aquarium is possible. The young Maylandia callainos are fed with freshly hatched Artemia nauplii in the first time and later with flake food and larger live food.

Our food recommendation: NatureHolic Spirulina Tabs are a good supplementary food for all growth eating cichlids in the aquarium. As main feed we recommend the tasty NatureHolic Mainfeed Granules for omnivorous aquarium fish, which perfectly meets their requirements for food composition. Thanks to their soft texture, the food pearls are gentle on the mouth and can be eaten very well by the fish.

Expert Tip: We recommend when keeping fish the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.