3x Blue yellow mouthbrooder - Pseudotropheus acei - TRIO (2W/1M) - DNZ 4 cm

Endemic to African Lake Malawi, the Blue and Yellow Mouthbrooder, Pseudotropheus acei primarily inhabits muddy substrates with alluvial or dead wood, where it sometimes hides and searches for food. Preferred habitats are the West African coast and Luwala Reef. In its habitat this aufwuchsfressende Mbuna occurs therefore frequently in shore proximity. With its great appearance it is a popular aquarium fish, which enriches a Malawi aquarium wonderfully, can be socialized well and is easy to maintain.

You will receive our Blue and Yellow Mouthbrooders as a harem with one male and two females, which are both German offspring and are about 4 cm in size upon delivery.

Pseudotropheus acei grows to about 15 cm long, the females remain slightly smaller. Both have the typical perch body with flat sides. In the basic color they shine medium blue with iridescent shimmer, the fins are yellow. The males also have so-called egg spots on the anal fin. The mouth has conspicuous lip bulges.

These mouthbrooders also reproduce in the aquarium. At courtship time, the animals intensify their colors. When spawning, the female releases her eggs onto flat substrates and then collects them with her mouth. Since she also mistakes the egg spot on the male's anal fin for an egg, she snaps at it. At this moment, the male releases his sperm, fertilizing the eggs in the female's mouth. She releases fully developed young after about 20-35 days, occasionally still returning to her mouth for shelter. Freshly hatched Artemia nauplii can be fed to them.

Since the blue-yellow mouthbrooders can be quite territorial and aggressive within the species, especially during spawning time, their aquarium should contain at least 400 liters and be well structured. This can be done especially with stone structures and slates. It should be considered that the structure has enough hiding places and caves. As substrate a fine sand is suitable, but also more slate plates to represent in places a rocky substrate, as the animals know it from their habitat. The planting plays a rather subordinate role with these aufwuchsfressern and can with Aufsitzerpflanzen like Anubia, Bucephalandra or Java moss can be used. At a total hardness (GH) between 10 and 30 °dGH, as well as a pH-value of 7,5 and 8,5 these nicely drawn animals feel very well. The temperature may be 23-27 °C.

Pseudotropheus acei can be socialized with other Labidochromis, but also other brash Pseudotropheus and Metriaclima. Interspecies keeping is possible in a harem.

These aufwuchsfresser are not particularly picky and feed in their habitat on coverings and the microorganisms contained therein. Therefore, they can be fed quite easily in the aquarium with commercially available dry food in the form of flake food or granulated food, but also food tablets for herbivorous ornamental fish. Occasionally they will also tug at over-broiled vegetables such as cucumber, Peppers or Pumpkin. Live and Frozen food such as enchytraea, daphnia, or Artemia may be offered to them from time to time.

Our food recommendation: The NatureHolic Cichfeed has a grain size of 1.5 mm and is therefore also suitable for larger fish. The NH Cichfeed is a soft granulate for mainly carnivorous fish. It has the same consistency as small crustaceans and insect larvae that fish naturally eat, and the soft granules protect the fish mouth from micro-injuries that can occur from hard feed granules.

Our plant recommendation: Use for planting NatureHolic InVitros. These are free of snails, planarians and other unwanted co-inhabitants. Also free of algae spores, bacteria and fungi.

Expert Tip: We recommend for fish keeping the NatureHolic 3 Phase Liquid. The care set offers the best all-round protection for your animals. It ensures optimal conditions for successful breeding and keeping.