Cobalt Blue Zebra
Metriaclima callainos
Cichlidae
About
The cobalt blue zebra is a striking mbuna from the rocky shores of Lake Malawi, prized for the brilliant, near-solid metallic blue that both sexes carry into adulthood. Reaching around 13 cm, it is a bold, active grazer that scrapes aufwuchs from sunlit boulders but is also pugnacious and territorial, so it needs a spacious tank of hard, alkaline Rift Lake water broken up by heavy rockwork.
Care
Keep in hard, alkaline water (pH 7.8-8.5) over sand with abundant rockwork in a tank of 200 L or more. Best as a harem of one male with several females; aggressive and territorial, so choose sturdy Malawi mbuna tankmates and avoid peaceful community fish.
Diet
Herbivorous aufwuchs grazer; feed spirulina- and vegetable-based foods with blanched greens. Strictly limit protein-rich foods to prevent Malawi bloat.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (77)
Avoid (44)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.