All fish / Cichlidae

Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid

Maylandia callainos

Also known as cobalt zebra, cobalt blue mbuna, blue zebra cichlid, pseudotropheus callainos, metriaclima callainos, white zebra, pearl zebra, cobalt blue cichlid, コバルトブルー・ゼブラ, 钴蓝斑马, 蓝斑马

This is a stocky rock-dwelling mbuna from Lake Malawi. Both sexes are a fairly even powder or cobalt blue, and they lack the dark bars seen in the classic zebra. A white or pearl form is also common. People keep it for its bright colour, lively behaviour and toughness in hard, alkaline water.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Aggressive

Adult size

12 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: spirulina flakes and pellets, algae, vegetable matter, occasional small crustaceans

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania)

Breeding

It is a maternal mouthbrooder. After spawning, the female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth for about three weeks. Breeding happens readily in a well-kept mbuna tank.

Good to know

Males are territorial and will fight with other blue, similar-looking mbuna, so do not keep it with soft-water fish. It hybridises easily with other Maylandia, so avoid mixing related species. Meaty diets can cause Malawi bloat.