Bumblebee cichlid facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bumblebee cichlid |
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| A male bumblebee cichlid | |
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The bumblebee cichlid, also called the hornet cichlid, is a fascinating fish. Its scientific name is Pseudotropheus crabro. This fish is a type of cichlid that lives only in Lake Malawi in Africa. You can often find them in big caves or near large rocks in the lake. They can grow up to about 16 centimeters (6 inches) long.
Bumblebee cichlids have a long body with bright yellow and black stripes. These stripes look a lot like a bumblebee! Young fish are very colorful. As they get older, especially the males, their colors can become darker. One cool thing about these fish is that they can change their colors very quickly. Like many other cichlids from Lake Malawi, the females are mouthbrooders. This means they carry their eggs and young fish safely in their mouths.
In the wild, bumblebee cichlids have a special job. They act like "cleaner fish." They eat tiny parasites off bigger fish. One of their main "clients" is a large catfish called Bagrus meridionalis. The catfish seems to know that the cichlid is there to help clean it. Interestingly, these cichlids have also been seen eating the eggs of the Bagrus meridionalis. When they do this, they quickly change their color to a dark brown.
Keeping Bumblebee Cichlids in an Aquarium
Even though bumblebee cichlids are picky eaters in the wild, they are not fussy in an aquarium. They will eat most types of fish food you give them. Like other mbuna cichlids, these fish are strong and can be quite feisty.
If you want to keep them, it's best to have a tank just for them or with other mbuna cichlids. It's a good idea to keep one male with several females. This helps keep the peace in the tank. Breeding them in an aquarium is fairly easy. The female will hold her eggs and then the tiny baby fish in her mouth for up to three weeks. After that, she will release a small group of healthy young fish.
See also
- Mbuna
- List of freshwater aquarium fish species
