Fuelleborn's Cichlid

Fuelleborn’s Cichlid

Give Your Fish Friend a Happier Home!

Your fish deserves more than just a bowl! Explore our collection of aquariums designed to create a healthier, more vibrant habitat for your aquatic friends. Easy to maintain, visually stunning, and perfect for every home.

Click image to enlarge

Looking for easy to maintain tropical fish combinations?

Scientific Name

Labeotropheus fuelleborni

Min. Tank Size

65 gallons

Personality

Territorial & aggressive

Temperature

75-82°F

pH

7.6-8.6/10-25°dGH

Size

7"

Diet

Herbivore

Breeding

Egglayer

Compatibility

Best kept with other peaceful Lake Malawi species; overcrowding the tank and stocking several females for each male may help reduce aggression.

Fuelleborn’s Cichlid

Also known as the Blue Mbuna, these Cichlids are endemic to and widely distributed throughout Lake Malawi. These fish tend to inhabit the shallower waters of the lake, living along rocky shorelines and near islands where the water flows quickly and is rich in oxygen. Male Fuelleborn’s Cichclids are typically solid blue in coloration while females may have a marbled appearance. The fins in males of this species are usually orange and males may develop an orange tint over the entire body when they become excited. This species exists in several color morphs including the orange and orange blotch variants.

Tank Set-Up

Fuelleborn’s Cichlids are a fairly aggressive species, but can be kept with other Mbuna Cichlids. These fish are best kept in large tanks decorated with sandy substrate and plenty of rocks arranged to form caves. Clay pots and clay pipes can also be used for caves and hiding places. It’s usually better to provide more caves and areas to hide than fish. These fish are not recommended for a planted tank because they tend to eat aquarium plants and may also dig in the substrate. The Fuelleborn’s Cichlid does best in high quality, well-oxygenated water. Weekly partial changes should be part of the normal aquarium husbandry routine.

Feeding

Though these Cichlids will accept a variety of foods in captivity, their diet should be primarily vegetable-based. Feed these fish plenty of vegetable-based foods like Spirulina flakes, romaine lettuce and blanched spinach and supplement the diet with small portions of live and frozen foods. Feed a regular varied diet for optimum health and coloration.

Breeding

Breeding this species has been accomplished in captivity and can be replicated in the home aquarium. A breeding tank for Fuelleborn’s Cichlids should be fairly large and decorated with several flat stones to act as spawning sites. The water in the tank should be kept at a pH between 8.2 and 8.5 and at a temperature between 77 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Prior to spawning, the male of the pair will clean the spawning site and display to the female in order to attract her to him. After spawning, the female will take the eggs into her mouth for the male to fertilize them. The average brood size for this species is between 25 and 60 eggs and the eggs usually hatch after being brooded by the female for 3 to 4 weeks.