I am wanting to get these cichlids and need some info on them.
AquaBid.com - Your Aquatic Auction Website
AquaBid.com - Your Aquatic Auction Website
Can i get some info on these cichlids??
- Thread starter silver dollars
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Thanks Kaite. My step bro said that he can take some of my angels into his tanks and then i was going to put the others into the 75g. And i am on Aquabid and saw these and fell in love with them. How do you sex them and can they go with these??
AquaBid.com - Your Aquatic Auction Website
AquaBid.com - Your Aquatic Auction Website
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Red zebras (metriaclima estherae) are african cichlids which originate from Lake Malawi. I have a bunch of juvies (50+) I'm trying to get rid of (trying to sell them locally though).
In the wild, the majority of red zebra males are actually blue:
However, orange males are the most common color morph found in aquariums and LFS.
Red zebras are fairly dominant mbunas and can be aggressive in certain set ups (i.e. when kept in tanks smaller than 55gal). They're the most dominant mbuna in my 125gal and are for the most part peaceful (mainly because their dominance isn't challenged).
I could be wrong but I was under the impression "cherry red" zebras were line-bred, being of a deeper red-orange than usual red zebras (which would sort of contradict that they're F1's (F1 are 1st generation offspring of wild caughts).
In the wild, the majority of red zebra males are actually blue:
However, orange males are the most common color morph found in aquariums and LFS.
Red zebras are fairly dominant mbunas and can be aggressive in certain set ups (i.e. when kept in tanks smaller than 55gal). They're the most dominant mbuna in my 125gal and are for the most part peaceful (mainly because their dominance isn't challenged).
I could be wrong but I was under the impression "cherry red" zebras were line-bred, being of a deeper red-orange than usual red zebras (which would sort of contradict that they're F1's (F1 are 1st generation offspring of wild caughts).
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Male red zebras (excluding the blue morphs, of course) usually develop a lighter orange to orange-pink color, sometimes with a blue sheen (differing from the females which typically remain a carrot orange). Males will also develop blue-er fin coloration. "Cherry Reds" are line bred and are of a deeper red-orange, so the males might remain that color as opposed to getting lighter (from my understanding).
A couple of my males" (notice the blue-ish dorsals) and lighter coloration:
Here are some juvies, the females are the ones with the orange dorsals:
A couple of my males" (notice the blue-ish dorsals) and lighter coloration:
Here are some juvies, the females are the ones with the orange dorsals:
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For the most part nearly all mbuna are compatible with each other (with some exceptions, for example you wouldn't want to keep mildly aggressive mbuna which resemble another species with high conspecific aggressive tendencies, etc).
I keep my red zebras and yellow labs with various pseudotropheus, labidochromis and metriaclima species. The red zebras will attempt to dominate the tank, and if they can do it with little or no opposition, they're fairly non-trouble makers afterwards.
They CAN be brutal against opposition, however and have the potential to become bullies in inadequate set ups.
I keep my red zebras and yellow labs with various pseudotropheus, labidochromis and metriaclima species. The red zebras will attempt to dominate the tank, and if they can do it with little or no opposition, they're fairly non-trouble makers afterwards.
They CAN be brutal against opposition, however and have the potential to become bullies in inadequate set ups.
Word of caution with the labs and estherae in a tank together - lab/estherae crosses are one of THE most predominant mbuna hybrids. Virtually every fish that I've seen in any stores anywhere near here labeled as a yellow lab, is actually a flipping mutt. So keep that in mind both when buying fish, and if you keep them together, be careful with the babies they'll produce.
You should get some Protomelas sp. "Steveni Taiwan" like in your avatar. 
hehe (One of my favorite haps).
I don't think it needs echoed but i will anyway. Like stated above, most mbuna can coexsist perfectly well but crossbreeding is very very common in mixed bags (i.e. random mbuna species in the tank). And while i personally don't have a problem with it as long as you don't try and pass them off as anything but hybrids some others do.
But yes, labs and zebras can be housed together. You might look into something like Pseudotropheus socolofi or Metriaclima callainos (i think thats the most recent scientific name....aka Cobalt Zebras) as well. Nice blue cichlids, would add contrast.
hehe (One of my favorite haps).I don't think it needs echoed but i will anyway. Like stated above, most mbuna can coexsist perfectly well but crossbreeding is very very common in mixed bags (i.e. random mbuna species in the tank). And while i personally don't have a problem with it as long as you don't try and pass them off as anything but hybrids some others do.
But yes, labs and zebras can be housed together. You might look into something like Pseudotropheus socolofi or Metriaclima callainos (i think thats the most recent scientific name....aka Cobalt Zebras) as well. Nice blue cichlids, would add contrast.
Lol I hate to sound like a broken record, but callainos and estherae are more likely to crossbreed than the labs and estherae. They're in the same genus (Metriaclima), and because estherae males are actually blue in the wild, females will readily breed with cobalt males. If you're not planning on raising up the fry they produce, then you obviously don't really need to worry about that Just something to consider. The socolofi would look really good in there though.
Just something to consider. The socolofi would look really good in there though.
Thanks for the suggestion Matt and for that warning SinisterKisses!!!!!!! My step-bro will be here soon and then i can know for sure that i am going to get Mbuna tomorrow One more question, can i get some help with stocking there are alot of Mbuna's that i like and need alittle help figuring out which ones to get...
One more question, can i get some help with stocking there are alot of Mbuna's that i like and need alittle help figuring out which ones to get...