Edit Cyrtocara moorii
You can suggest changes to this profile. A moderator will review each change.
Name
Scientific name
Cyrtocara moorii
Described by
Not recorded
Family
Cichlidae
Summary
The Malawi blue dolphin, Cyrtocara moorii, is a large, peaceful cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi, found mainly over shallow sandy areas. Form…
Size and aquarium
Maximum size
250mm, standard length
Tank size
Minimum length 150 cm, Minimum depth 38 cm, Minimum height 45 cm
Water
Temperature and pH
Temperature 25–29°C, pH 7.5–8.8
Hardness
10–25dGH
Conductivity
Not recorded
Behaviour
Temperament
Peaceful
Social needs
A shoal or group
Community suitability
Not recorded
Where it lives
Countries
Not recorded
Supporting text
Etymology
Not written yet
Distribution
Endemic to Lake Malawi.
Habitat
It has a widespread distribution, primarily inhabiting areas of shallow water with sandy substrates. Despite this range it doesn't seem to be very common in th…
Aquarium size
150 ∗ 38 ∗ 45 cm60 ∗ 15 ∗ 18 in - ~257 litres~68 US gal should be the minimum size considered.
Maintenance
Provide a substrate of sand and plenty of open swimming space. Unless the tank is really huge it's best to restrict any rock work to the perimeters, as the spe…
Water conditions
Temperature: 25 – 29 °C77 – 84 °F pH: 7.5-8.8 Hardness: 10-25°H
Diet
It's a micro-predator by nature, so the bulk of the diet should be composed of live and frozen foods. It relishes bloodworm, brine shrimp, chopped earthworms, …
Behaviour and compatibility
Peaceful and should not be kept with boisterous species such as mbuna but will intimidate small fish with its sheer size. Ideal tankmates include Frontosa, lar…
Sexual dimorphism
Difficult to sex. Both species exhibit a nuchal hump and identical colouration. Males do generally grow larger than females but this may take several years.
Reproduction
Not easy. Polygamous maternal mouthbrooder. The breeding aquarium shouold be at least 60" in length and furnished as suggested above, with the addition of some…
Notes
A gentle giant ideal for the larger community of Malawi cichlids, this species was formerly named Haplochromis moorii. It is occasionally referred to by the co…
References
References
No references