However, it would help if you kept them in a 50-gallon tank at the very least to account for their territorial behavior. They don’t grow bigger than five inches, meaning these fish don’t need a lot of space. Moreover, it’s essential to maintain the water conditions between 7.8 and 8.6 pH by adding an appropriate sandy substrate. Red Zebra Cichlids are nibblers and tend to uproot plants, artificial or real, and may not do well in unfamiliar habitats. Like other Cichlids, they search for food on the lake’s sandy surface and in crevasses, scooping up tiny meals.Īs they are at home in a rocky environment with no vegetation, you need not add plants to the tank. These fish are at home in the rocky waters of Lake Malawi in Africa, dotted with caves, so that they have enough room to hide. Speaking of conditions, let’s discuss that next. However, in some cases, they may live shorter lives of 5 years, so their lifespan usually varies between five and ten years.Īnother essential factor is to provide the right water conditions, as these fish are highly sensitive. How Long Do Red Zebra Cichlids Live?ĭepending upon the tank conditions, feeding habits, and how many fish you’re keeping in the aquarium, Red Zebra Cichlids can live up to a decade. You can find them prowling around the tank, protecting their territory. Moreover, Red Zebra Cichlids have a matriarchal family, so the female is hard to befriend, especially when she is about to lay eggs. They react violently towards other species as well as their own, meaning they are not friendly.

Red Zebra Cichlids are highly aggressive on account of their territorial nature. Both the male and female fish have similar behavioral traits, so research before introducing them into home aquariums. While some fish are aggressive only during the mating season, Red Zebra Cichlid shows no lessening their ferocious behavior. Or you’ll need to place them in a separate tank. If you desire to keep docile and sociable fish in the tank, it would be best to avoid owning this species. A family is indicated if the parents seem interested in some shady nook.Like most African Cichlids, the Red Zebra variant is no different, known for its semi-aggressive nature. The depressions in the sand in which the babies are reared are nearly usually hidden from view behind a rock or stone. This isn’t usually the female, but the smaller of the two. It breeds according to the standard description at a temperature of 80☏, but you should add lots of rocks and stone arches to offer protection for the weaker partner. The jaws are so strong that they can crush a snail shell with one vicious snap. Their technique of attack would be to charge the victim with their tough heads, which soon kills. Even at this size they’ll attack much more peaceful fish. Very warlike, it is important to maintain specimens over 2 inches long in a tank on their own. Even though the male has the exact same colouring, the female has much more brilliance. Strangely sufficient, the zebra is a fish where the female boasts the much better markings. Emerald green outlines the sawtooth edges of the dorsal and anal fins. The body colouring varies from yellowish-white to light grey, the darker stripes on the sides extend into the dorsal fin, and there are yellowish spots between the dark markings on the dorsal. Like most nervous fish, the colouring and markings of the zebra are volatile very pronounced one minute and nearly gone the next. It is also fond of lying under an archway of piled stones. The zebra cichlid is a extremely strung nervous fish, which dashes about the aquarium from one refuge to an additional, at a very quick speed.

Red zebra cichlid max size