Albino Red Top Cichlid 2"

Albino Red Top Zebra Cichlids are one of the more peaceful mbunas, but it certainly does not mean they can be kept in peaceful community aquariums. They are aggressive and do best in large tanks with other mbuna species. They appreciate the company of their own kind, but rival males will kill each other if there isn’t enough room for their aggression to be spread around. Most people who keep mbunas successfully long term overstock their tanks to ensure the often intense aggression is spread out among a large number of individuals. Even then, fatalities due to fighting are not uncommon.

Albino Red Top Zebra Cichlids are maternal mouthbrooders. If conditions are suitable, these fish will breed quite easily. Males and females can be slightly difficult to tell apart depending on the strain. Albino zebras will be sexually mature at around 7.5cm. They can be conditioned by feeding more frequently, but it usually isn’t necessary to encourage a spawn. If you don’t see your fish breeding, it may be due to aggression in their tank, so you may need to create a more peaceful environment to encourage mating. The female will usually lay about twenty or thirty eggs on a flat surface in the male’s territory. She will then scoop up the eggs into her mouth and stimulate the male to fertilize the eggs in her mouth. It is believed that the eggs spots on the fins of many males can confuse the females into thinking that those spots are eggs and encourage her to stimulate the males. After about three weeks, the female will release her fry. They can be fed crushed flake flood once they are free-swimming. If you would like to keep a large amount of the fry, stripping the female of her eggs once they are fertilized can be done. It is a delicate but not too difficult process. The eggs can then be transferred to a separate tank to be hatched and raised. Make sure that there is no possibility of hybridization if you intend to give away the offspring.

• Species – Metriaclima greshaki “Albino”
• Common Name – Albino Red Top Zebra
• Origin – Lake Malawi
• Diet – Omnivore/Herbivore
• PH Range – Alkaline 7.5 – 8.5
• Water Type – Hard
• Temperature – Tropical 24°c
• Breed Type – Mouth brooder