Yellow lab

Water parameters

Tolerated range for this species. Aim for the middle of each band rather than the extremes.

Tank and habitat

Substrate: sand.

Behavior

Plant interaction: destroys most plants.

Feeding

Omnivore that leans more insectivorous than the strict algae-grazing mbuna, picking small invertebrates from the biofilm and rockwork in the wild along with some algae. In the tank, a spirulina-based flake or pellet makes the best staple, with blanched vegetables such as peas, zucchini, and spinach and the odd frozen treat of brine shrimp or mysis. Keep protein moderate: red mosquito larvae, tubifex, and heavy bloodworm feeding all raise the risk of Malawi bloat, so use them rarely if at all. These are greedy fish that will crowd out slower tankmates, so feed small amounts two or three times a day rather than one big meal.

Compatibility

• One of the least aggressive Mbuna cichlids, which is a relative statement. In a mixed Mbuna tank, yellow labs are usually the peacekeeper species. In a standard community tank with tetras and rasboras, they're the bully.
• Best kept in a species tank or with other Mbuna of similar size and temperament. Classic pairings: rusty cichlid (Iodotropheus sprengerae), yellow-tail acei (Pseudotropheus acei), and other relatively mild Lake Malawi species. Avoid housing with hyper-aggressive Mbuna like Melanochromis auratus or M. chipokae.
• The standard Mbuna stocking ratio applies: overstock moderately to spread aggression. One male to 3-4 females is the minimum. A tank of all males or a 1:1 ratio produces constant harassment of subdominant individuals. Groups of 8-12 in a 200 L tank is the target.
• Hybridizes freely with other Labidochromis species in the tank. If you keep multiple Labidochromis species (L. caeruleus, L. chisumulae, L. sp. "Hongi"), expect cross-breeding and mixed offspring that are difficult to identify or sell.

Origin and habitat

Endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa, where it lives in rocky coastal habitat along the central western shore. Geoffrey Fryer described the species in 1956; the name caeruleus is Latin for blue, taken from one of the non-yellow forms, and the fish is also called the blue streak hap. Several natural color morphs exist, including white and blue varieties, but the brilliant electric yellow form of the hobby comes from one restricted area in Nkhata Bay, between the islands of Charo and Mbowe. Records show a maximum length near 8.1 cm, while other sources put it at 10 cm to 15 cm, with large males reaching the upper end. It is a maternal mouthbrooder, the female carrying eggs and fry in her mouth for roughly three weeks. The yellow morph breeds true and is produced commercially in huge numbers, making it one of the most popular African cichlids in the trade. The IUCN lists the species as Least Concern.

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder, like other mbuna. A male courts over a flat rock or a scooped-out spot in the sand with lateral shimmying displays. The female lays a small clutch, a dozen to a couple of dozen eggs, picking each one up in her mouth almost at once, and then broods them in her buccal cavity for about eighteen to twenty-one days, eating little or nothing the whole time. Fish usually begin spawning at around 5 to 6 cm, near six months old. The fry come out fully formed and feeding, big enough to take crushed flake right away. In a community mbuna tank a few survive by hiding in the rockwork, but most are eaten, including by their own father; for a real yield, move the holding female to her own tank or strip the brood near the end of the holding period. Yellow labs spawn readily with no special conditioning, and a settled group turns out broods every few weeks.

Common problems

Malawi bloat is the disease to watch, as with all mbuna. It shows as a swollen belly, refusal of food, white stringy waste, and labored breathing, and it can progress to organ failure quickly. Diet and stress are the usual triggers: too much protein and too little plant matter. Yellow labs lean more insectivorous than the strict algae grazers and tolerate protein a little better, but red mosquito larvae, tubifex, and heavy bloodworm feeding still raise the risk, so a spirulina-weighted diet with vegetables is the safe staple. Metronidazole is the standard treatment once bloat sets in. Aggression is the other issue: normal mbuna behavior that turns harmful in a tank that is too small or has the wrong sex ratio. A lone male hounding a single female can stress her to death, so keep several females per male and enough rock to break up sightlines. Crossbreeding is a last caution; kept with other Labidochromis, yellow labs hybridize freely and the mixed young are hard to place.

Bioload

Further reading

• Stocking ideas by tank size