Electric Yellow Cichlid Labidochromis caeruleus

*Electric Yellows are a popular African Cichlid that originates from West Africa’s Rift Lake region, or specifically Lake Malawi.

*They are a colorful fish, and growing to a maximum size of 15cm they are a medium sized cichlid. ElectricYellows have been in the hobby for a long time and hence are quite popular, relatively hardy and easy to breed. They are a placid species that will tolerate most other “Mbuna”- Omnivorous cichlid species that inhabit Malawi’s rocky foreshores.

*Electric Yellows are quite hardy even by Cichlid standards- they require a medium sized aquarium, 100l or bigger, with plenty of rocks and hiding places. Being Rift Lake Cichlids, they require reasonably hard water with a pH of 8.0 or above, Temperature 24-26 °. Good filtration is required as cichlids have a habit of being dirty fish. Canister or Trickle Filtration is recommended.

*As mentioned earlier, Electric Yellows are omnivorous. They will accept any of the commercial cichlid flake or pellets, as well as meaty frozen foods. Caution should be given with feeding frozen bloodworms or freeze dried tubifex worms. Electric Yellows can be susceptible to ‘Malawi Bloat’ usually found in Tropheus, another African Cichlid. This ailment is directly caused by feeding these foods and although largely incurable, can be avoided by not feeding them the causative foods. They also appreciate some vegetation in their diet, and this can be achieved by feeding a spirulina flake a couple of times a week. This also has the added advantage of giving the fish great coloration.

*Electric Yellows are typical of most Mbuna by being mouth brooders, whereby the female incubates fertile eggs in their own mouth cavity. Although seemingly strange, it is a very effective method of keeping predators from the eggs or larvae. Pairs lay about 20 eggs before the female gathers the eggs in her mouth and incubates them until they hatch in about 5 days. At this point, most breeders remove the larvae from the female to raise them artificially. This method guarantees the maximum number of juveniles per spawning and also allows the female to return to the colony and continue breeding. The larvae have a yolk sac that is consumed within a couple of days, which is when live artemia nauplii can be fed. The process from here is pretty typical of raising most other fish.

*These fish are not especially susceptible to any diseases, except the aforementioned bloat. Most ailments that the fish may suffer can be rectified with commercially available remedies.

Good water, nutrition and compatible tank mates will prevent most problems.

*All in all, the electric yellow is a great little fish for the aquatic newcomer or the seasoned aquarist. Being Colorful, Placid, easy to keep and easy to breed, its not hard to see why.