All fish / Cichlidae

Yellow Bumblebee Mbuna

Maylandia barlowi

Also known as barlowi, metriaclima barlowi, pseudotropheus barlowi, golden zebra barlowi, mbenji barlowi, yellow barlowi, pseudotropheus sp. golden zebra, メトリアクリマ・バルロウィ, 巴氏非鲫

No free-to-use photo of this fish yet. Took one yourself? Send it to us and we will credit you.

A compact mbuna from Lake Malawi's rocky shores, with yellow fish showing faint bluish bars and dominant males often turning pale blue with darker barring. It is kept for its bright colour, lively behaviour and comparatively manageable size among Malawi cichlids.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

10 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7.5 to 8.6

Smallest tank

200 litres

Keep as

One male with 3 or more females in a crowded mbuna community

Diet

Herbivore: algae-based flakes and pellets, spirulina, blanched greens, occasional small crustaceans

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

6 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Mbenji Islands and nearby, Malawi)

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder: the female holds the eggs and fry in her mouth for about three weeks after spawning on a rock. It breeds readily in a well-kept mbuna tank, and fry can be moved to a grow-out tank once released.

Good to know

Males are territorial and will chase rivals and similar-looking mbuna, so provide plenty of rockwork and avoid keeping it with peaceful or soft-water fish. A protein-heavy diet can cause Malawi bloat.