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Scientific name: Labidochromis sp. "perlmutt" |
| Trade
name: Pearly Lab |
| Natural
habitat: Rocky environments and caves. |
| Food in
the lake: Insect larvae that are picked out of cracks in rocks. |
| Food in
the aquarium: A mix of quality pellets, flakes, krill, artemia, etc fed
sparingly. No mammal meat! |
|
Behaviour in my aquarium: The dominant male defends his territory
fiercely only against other Labidochromis sp. "perlmutt". Other cichlids
are tolerated most of the time. |
|
Tankmates: Can be kept with other Mbuna, but is also a good company for
mid sized Malawi cichlids like Copadichromis, Aulonocara, Otopharynx, etc...
Large predators have to be avoided |
| Maximum size:
Can vary quite a bit depending on water quality and food amount. Grows to
about 10 cm. |
|
Aquarium: At least a tank of >150L with a sufficient amount of
rocks and caves. A sand bottom, pH between 7.5 - 8.5, temperature about 25°C |
|
2 concurrent males involved in a territorial fight in my aquarium
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Personal notes:
I got this nice little Mbuna from a good friend that I
know from the club. The 7 small juveniles have grown steadily and are a
playful group in my 800L tank. These Labidochromis can be agressive towards
each other, but they are definitely far less agressive than the more robust
Melanochromis and Pseudotropheus. In my opinion these cichlids are a nice
addition to every mid sized Malawi setup, and they are a good replacement
for the well known Labidochromis caeruleus. Keeping the caeruleus and
perlmutt together has to be avoided, as they could hybridise, what's not
desirable!
A male in my aquarium.
With all fins flared this cute little guy looks great!
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