Red Zebra

The red zebra is one of the most common species of the genus Maylandia, which lives on the rocky shores of Lake Malawi and is known in the hobby as the "zebra group". The "zebra" pattern in its name is absent in this species: the body is plain orange, pinkish orange or, in some wild populations, light blue. Most of those sold in stores are aquarium strains in which both sexes are orange.

Because it is hardy, has a hearty appetite and breeds easily, it is among the first species people buy when starting a Malawi aquarium. Its males, however, defend their territory fiercely and will not tolerate fish that resemble them at all. It lives without problems in a properly set-up, crowded mbuna aquarium; it is not suitable for a community aquarium.

It lives along the Mozambique shore of the lake, in shallow and mid-depth rocky areas. It feeds by scraping the algae layer covering the rocks (aufwuchs) and the small organisms within it. These waters are clear, hard and alkaline, with a temperature of around 24–27°C year-round and very stable.

• Volume: at least 250 liters and 120 cm in length for 1 male and 3–4 females together with other mbuna. Floor area matters more than volume.
• Rockwork: Most of the aquarium is built with caves and rock piles that break lines of sight. Rocks should sit directly on the bottom glass; the fish can dig out the sand and topple the piles.
• Water: Hard and alkaline (pH 7.8–8.5). With soft tap water, coral sand, aragonite substrate or Malawi salt is used.
• Filter and maintenance: Strong filtration and 30–50% water changes a week. Because mbuna aquariums are kept crowded, nitrate rises quickly.
• Plants: Most plants are uprooted or eaten; tough-leaved epiphytes such as Anubias and Java fern stand a chance if tied to rocks.

Herbivorous. The staple should be a quality mbuna pellet based on spirulina or algae; blanched spinach or nori sheets can be given occasionally. Bloodworms, mammalian meat and very high-protein foods cause digestive problems and Malawi bloat. Feed sparingly 1–2 times a day, only as much as is finished in a few minutes.

Males claim the area around a rock or cave and chase especially orange and pink fish. Females are more docile but establish a ranking among themselves. As the group grows and the number of rocks increases, aggression is spread out instead of focusing on a single fish.

Good companions: mbuna of different color and pattern and similar size (yellow lab, yellow-tail acei, saulosi), rusty cichlid (Iodotropheus sprengerae), Synodontis catfish suited to hard water.

Avoid: other orange zebra-group species (fighting and hybridization), community fish, shrimp, snails, calm Aulonocara and haps.

• Harem: 3–4 females per male; the male's courtship and chasing pressure is shared among the females.
• More than one male: Only in aquariums of 300 liters or more with plenty of rocks; each male needs its own rock pile.
• Species mix: In Malawi communities there is one harem of each species, and the species should differ from each other in color. No other orange Maylandia species goes in the same aquarium; they hybridize easily with each other.
• If fish are to be added later, the rocks are rearranged; once territories are broken up, the newcomer does not become the only target.

A mouthbrooder that breeds on its own in the aquarium. The male courts by quivering in front of a rock; the female picks up the eggs as soon as she lays them, and the eggs are fertilized as she reaches for the egg spots on the male's anal fin. The female carries 15–30 eggs for about 3 weeks, eating very little or nothing during this time. In a crowded aquarium most of the fry are eaten; to raise them, the holding female can be moved to a separate container.

• Malawi bloat: swollen belly, loss of appetite, white stringy feces. Triggered by the wrong diet and stress; early treatment is essential.
• Injuries and torn fins: from territorial fights; the right ratio and plenty of rocks are the best prevention.
• Weakness after brooding: because the female goes hungry for weeks, she should be fed small amounts frequently for a few days afterward.

In some wild populations males are light blue and females orange. In aquarium strains, however, both sexes can be orange, which makes sexing harder: males are larger with longer fins and carry more numerous and more prominent yellow egg spots on the anal fin. Some females may have an orange pattern with black blotches (OB). Reliable sexing is done by examining the genital papilla.