Are Blue Dolphin cichlids mouth brooders?

Are Blue Dolphin cichlids aggressive?

The Blue Dolphin Cichlid is a non-aggressive fish and can be kept with other small and non-aggressive African cichlids. In a large aquarium, the Blue Dolphin will form schools and it’s recommended to keep more females than males.

How many babies do Blue Dolphin cichlids have?

The Blue Dolphin Cichlid starts getting sexually active when its body size reaches three inches. The female will lay 20 to 50 eggs at one time on a flat surface such as a rock or log and wait for fertilization. It is a mouth brooder fish so the female picks up the eggs and incubates them in her mouth for up to three to four weeks.

What is a Blue Dolphin moorii cichlid?

Blue dolphin moorii (lat. Cyrtocara moorii) is an unusual tank fish which came from Malawi Lake in Africa. Blue moorii is rather popular among cichlid-fans first of all due to its bright-blue color and also to its unusual body shape with a big bump on the fish head. At that moorii blue dolphin cichlid isn’t a small fish at all.

What kind of fish can live with Blue Dolphins?

The Blue Dolphin should not be in the same community aquarium as small, non-aggressive fish such as tetras and guppies but they make great tank mates with species such as various mildly aggressive cichlids, plecos, synodontis catfish and corydoras.

What is the difference between male and female dolphin cichlids?

The male is usually brighter blue than the female. The most distinctive feature of the Blue Dolphin Cichlid is the cranial bump on the forehead of the male species. It is a slow-growing fish but can exceed 12 inches at maturity.

How hard is it to breed Blue Dolphins?

The blue dolphin is considered to be one of the more difficult cichlids to breed and can become quite aggressive with tank mates around spawning time. Females will mouth brood the fertilized eggs until they are ready to be released 12 to 18 days later.

Are Blue Dolphin cichlids friendly?

The blue dolphin cichlids are a peaceful breed of cichlid but not ideal for a community fish tank. They are territorial when they are spawning, so small fish should not be kept in the tank as they would be intimidated by the larger fish.

How often should you feed a blue dolphin cichlid?

The ideal frequency of giving food to the blue dolphin cichlid should to two to five times a day rather than one large meal once a day. The blue dolphin cichlids typically have a matriarchal family, where one male has about three to six females, making the blue dolphin cichlid polygamous.

How many eggs do Blue Dolphin cichlids lay?

The Blue Dolphin Cichlid starts getting sexually active when its body size reaches three inches. The female will lay 20 to 50 eggs at one time on a flat surface such as a rock or log and wait for fertilization.

Are there Blue Dolphin cichlids in Malawi?

Both of them are closely related to the blue dolphin cichlid. The blue dolphin cichlids are native to the Lake Malawi region around the African Rift Valley lake area. Presently, there are no recognized threats for the blue dolphin cichlids, and the fish are widespread throughout the lakes.

How big can a blue dolphin cichlid get?

At that moorii blue dolphin cichlid isn’t a small fish at all. H. moorii max size can be 25 cm and longer. They are peaceful enough, but males can be rather aggressive to each other and it’s better to keep them in a harem consisting of one male and 3-4 females.

What does a blue moorii fish look like?

The Blue Moorii is a good sized cichlid with a stocky elongated body and a somewhat pointed snout. This snout is similar looking to that of a dolphin, thus the names Malawi Blue Dolphin and Blue Dolphin Cichlid.

What is a blue dolphin cichlid (Cyrtocara moorii)?

In this article, you will get to know everything about the blue dolphin cichlid (Cyrtocara moorii). The Blue Dolphin Cichlid is an exotic cichlid originating from Africa from Lake Malawi. It gets to be very large, reaching lengths of almost 10 inches (25.4 cm). Its overall coloring is a beautiful blue, with different amounts of black markings.

Why is it called a blue dolphin fish?

This fish earned its common name because it is blue and the shape of its head closely resembles the shape of a dolphin’s head. Other common names include Malawi Blue Dolphin, Dolphin Cichlid, Blue Moorii, and Hap Moorii.

Is Blue Dolphin a good fish to keep in a tank?

Blue dolphin is a fish to be recommended both to experienced and advanced aquarists. The fish isn’t the one for amateurs since it requires a spacious tank, frequent water renew and correctly chosen tankmates. Although the fish is rather peaceful they aren’t good for a community tank.

What are the best tank mates for a Blue Dolphin?

The best tank mates are some other Malawi fish types or african catfishes. The main requirement when caring for the blue dolphin is a tank capacity. Its volume has to be at least 200-250 liters otherwise the fish would feel uncomfortable.

What are the differences between male and female fish fins?

The dorsal, anal and caudal fins of the male fish may be longer in certain species, according to the Fish Channel. In isomorphic species, the male will be slightly larger than the female, but the female’s belly will appear round in comparison to that of the male.

What is the difference between a male and female cichlid?

Cichlid Sizes and Shapes. In most types of cichlid fish, the male will be larger than the female, measuring up to a full inch inch longer. The dorsal, anal and caudal fins of the male fish may be longer in certain species, according to the Fish Channel.

Are cichlids dimorphic?

As with many dimorphic species, brightly colored cichlids are usually male. Striping, if present, may occur on both male and female fish. Still other cichlid males develop what are known as “egg spots” on their anal fins.

What are the sizes and shapes of cichlid fish?

Cichlid Sizes and Shapes. In most types of cichlid fish, the male will be larger than the female, measuring up to a full inch inch longer. The dorsal, anal and caudal fins of the male fish may be longer in certain species, according to the Fish Channel. In isomorphic species, the male will be slightly larger than the female,…

How big does a blue dolphin fish need to be?

Its volume has to be at least 200-250 liters otherwise the fish would feel uncomfortable. Besides, in the big tanks blue dolphin tropical fish can reach max size about 15-20 cm, if the tank is smaller the fish will be smaller correspondingly.

Are Blue Dolphins easy to take care of?

The Blue Dolphin is moderately easy to care for as long as the tank is large enough, water is kept clean, and the aquascaping is correct. A large aquarium is needed for this fish, with a minimum size of 75 gallons and a length of 5 feet being suggested.