Zebra mbuna
Maylandia zebra
FishFreshwater
The body of Maylandia zebra is elongated and laterally compressed, with a light blue base color striped with black vertical bars. Males are more colorful than females. It is aggressive towards conspecifics, especially during breeding. It can reach 12 cm. It is a mouthbrooder: the female holds eggs in her mouth.
Recommended parameters
| Parameter | Recommended range |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 24–28 |
| pH | 7.5–8.5 |
| GH | 10–20 |
| KH | 8–15 |
| NO₃ | ≤ 20 |
| PO₄ | ≤ 0.5 |
Care
Difficulty3/5
Dietherbivore
Min. tank200 L
Min. group4
Adult size12 cm
Lifespan8 ans
Temperamentaggressive
Care notes
Keep this mbuna in a minimum 200 L aquarium with plenty of rocks to create territories. Water should be alkaline (pH 7.5-8.5) and hard (GH 10-20). Temperature 24-28°C. They are herbivorous with omnivorous tendencies: feed spirulina-based foods and blanched vegetables. Avoid high-protein animal foods. A group of one male with several females is recommended. Watch out for fights.