(Please note that the fish shown in the photo is only a representative of what an adult specimen would look like. The color may vary based on the age and sex of the fish you receive.)
Scientific Name: Cyrtocara moorii
Common Name: Blue Dolphin Cichlid, Malawi Blue Dolphin, Hump-head, Blue Lumphead, Hap Moorii and Humphead Mouthbrooder
Adult Size: 9 - 10 inches
Life Expectancy: 10 years
Habitat: Africa rift lake area and Lake Malawi
Minimum Tank Size: 75 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
- Temperature Range: 78°F
- pH Range: 7.0 - 8.0
- Hardness Range: 10 - 18
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet & Nutrition: Carnivore; live, fresh, and tablet foods
Breeding & Spawning: Mouth brooder; female will pick up the eggs into her mouth for incubation. Polygamous in nature and form a matriarchal family. Suggested to have one male with 3 - 6 females. Because they are difficult to sex, the best way to for a breeding group is to start with a group of eight to ten juveniles and let them grow up together.
Gender: Difficult to differentiate males and females. They have the same coloration and they both develop a hump on their forehead. However, the males can be larger and the cranial bump may also be larger, but this takes several years to develop. Males may also be more brightly colored, but this is not always the case.
Compatible Tank Mates: See Compatibility Chart