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Cichlids
/ Africa / Lake Malawi / Moori
Moori, Blue Lump head, Blue Dolphin Cichlid
Cyrtocara moori | Pictures
Synonyms: Haplochromis
moori
Physical description: An oval-shaped cichlid with a characteristic cranial bump on its forehead.
The
base of caudal fin is very slender.
The body is bright blue to dark bright blue.
Seven to eight faint vertical stripes
are present, although they are often difficult to detect.
The fins are the same color as the body.
Size/Length: To 10" (25 cm)
Similar species: None
Habitat: Eastern Africa; found above sandy areas in Lake Malawi.
S: bottom, middle
Aquarium: 40" (101 cm) or 45-55 gallons (170-209 L) is sufficient for young fish, that
are under 5" (13 cm) in length.
For fish larger than 5" (13 cm), a tank of 56" (142 cm) or
75 to 100 gallons (285-378 L) is recommended.
The background should be large rock formations, while the foreground
should be coral sand with a scattering of small stones.
Large open swimming areas are very important for this fish.
Sturdy
live plants can be used.
Water chemistry: 7.0-8.8 (8.0), 10-18 dH (16), 75-81°F (24-27°C)
Social behavior: A peaceful and territorial fish that will form schools when kept in a large tank.
Keep
one male with several females.
In Lake Malawi, the Moori is found in schools with
Fossorochromis rostratus.
Suggested companions: Lake Malawi Haplochromines,
Synodontis, larger mbunas,
Polypterus, Afromastacembelus
FOOD: Live; crustaceans, insect larvae, aquatic insects,
Tubifex; beef heart; chopped meat; tablets;
pellets
Sexual differences: The male may be slightly larger with brighter colors.
Breeding techniques: Use a large breeding tank with one male and three or four females.
The water chemistry should have a pH
from 7.5-8.5, a water hardness from 10-16 dH, and a temperature of 79-82°F (26-28°C).
Make frequent partial water changes
to keep the parents in top condition.
The female lays from 20-60, and occasionally as many as 100, on
a rock.
The
takes the eggs into her mouth where they are incubated for 20-25 days.
The female continues brood care after
the young emerge from the mouth.
Start feeding with small live foods.
The young grow quickly when kept under a regime
of frequent partial water changes.
Breeding potential: 7.
Breeding is moderately difficult as long as frequent partial water changes are made.
Remarks: Almost all fish available to the hobby are wild caught.
Difficulty of care: 4.
A large, hardy fish that thrives in a properly maintained aquarium.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
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