Yellow Lab Cichlid

Labidochromis caeruleus

A lemon-yellow mbuna from hard, alkaline Lake Malawi. It needs high pH – soft-water fish will not share its home.

A semi-aggressive freshwater fish that grows to 10 cm, lives in the middle of the tank and needs 23–28 °C, pH 7.5–8.8 and an aquarium of at least 120 L.

Care at a glance

Water

Freshwater

Temperature

23–28 °C (73–82 °F)

pH

7.5–8.8

Adult size

10 cm (3.9 in)

Aquarium

120 L or bigger (32 US gal)

Temperament

Semi-aggressive

Group size

Fine on its own

Swims

Middle

Diet

Omnivore

Wild home

Rocky shores of Lake Malawi

Good to know

• Territorial. Fights other territorial fish in its zone, especially in small tanks.
• Hardy. Tolerates less-than-perfect water. Great for beginners.
• Eats invertebrates. Hunts shrimp, snails and crabs.

Tank mates

Good company: Bala Shark, Bloodfin Tetra, Bristlenose Pleco, Dwarf Neon Rainbowfish, Fancy Guppy, Molly, Platy, Rosy Barb, Siamese Algae Eater, Zebra Danio.

Will eat: Amano Shrimp, Celestial Pearl Danio, Chili Rasbora, Crystal Red Shrimp, Ember Tetra, Endler's Livebearer, Ghost Shrimp, Mystery Snail, Neocaridina Shrimp, Nerite Snail, Pea Puffer.

Eaten by: Asian Arowana, Flowerhorn, Motoro Stingray, Ornate Bichir, Oscar, Siamese Tigerfish.

Fights with: Demasoni Cichlid, Firemouth Cichlid, Flowerhorn, Jack Dempsey.

Eats the newborn fry of: Angelfish, Betta, Black Skirt Tetra, Bloodfin Tetra, Boesemani Rainbowfish, Cardinal Tetra, Cherry Barb, Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid, Congo Tetra, Corydoras, Demasoni Cichlid, Discus and 24 more.

Its fry are eaten by: Angelfish, Axolotl, Bala Shark, Black Ghost Knifefish, Boesemani Rainbowfish, Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid, Comet Goldfish, Electric Blue Acara, Fancy Goldfish, Firemouth Cichlid, Frontosa, Jack Dempsey and 7 more.

Grown ones eat their own newborn fry, so raise the young in another aquarium.

Colours and breeding

• Classic uncommon

In Aquarius a grown male and female breed in a healthy tank. Their young are born about 1 cm long and take after one of the parents.

The care values are the ones Aquarius uses, based on how these animals live. Tank mates follow the game's rules: water type, temperature and pH, who can swallow whom, fin nipping, temperament and territory.