(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: Metriaclima estherae
Common Name: O.B. Red Zebra
Adult Size: 5 inches
Life Expectancy: 5 - 15 years
Habitat: Lake Malawi, Africa
Minimum Tank Size: 50 gallons
Ideal Tank Conditions:
- Temperature Range: 78°F
- pH Range: 7.0 - 8.0
- Hardness Range: 10 - 15
Temperament: Semi-aggressive
Diet & Nutrition: Feeds on aufwuchs which is small animals and plants that encrust hard substrates. Primary diet can be cichlid pellets, give them thawed and live foods periodically. A flake food or pellet food with an algae/spirulina base is recommended.
Breeding & Spawning: O.B. Zebra Cichlids are maternal mouth brooders, and the incubation is approximately three weeks, at which time the female will release the fry.
Gender: May have to wait until they are mature and the males will become more colorful.
Compatible Tank Mates: See Compatibility Chart