All fish / Cichlidae

Egyptian mouthbrooder

Pseudocrenilabrus multicolor

Also known as dwarf egyptian mouthbrooder, egyptian mouthbrooder, multicolor mouthbrooder, dwarf mouthbrooder, victoria mouthbrooder, multicolour cichlid, haplochromis multicolor, エジプシャンマウスブリーダー, 埃及口孵鱼

A small, hardy cichlid whose males show iridescent blue, green and yellow scales with a red tip to the anal fin, while females are plainer brown and silver. It is kept for its bright colour, its manageable size and the chance to watch maternal mouthbrooding in an ordinary community-sized tank.

Care at a glance

Care level

Easy

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

7 cm

Temperature

20 to 26 °C

pH

6.5 to 8.5

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

One male with two or three females

Diet

Omnivore: quality flakes and pellets, frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia, some plant matter

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Nile basin (Egypt, Sudan, Uganda) and East African lakes and rivers such as Lake Victoria basin

Breeding

The male digs a pit and displays, then the female lays eggs and carries them and the fry in her mouth for around ten days, taking the young back in for some days afterwards when threatened. It breeds readily in captivity and is one of the easiest mouthbrooders to spawn.

Good to know

Males become territorial and rough when breeding, so give plenty of cover and avoid very small or long-finned tankmates. Several subspecies and regional forms exist, including P. multicolor victoriae, so keep populations separate.