Electric Yellow Labs

[Steven]

Anyone here keep Yellow Labs?

How do you like them?

Are they a great fish for a beginner of the African fish variety?

What should their tank be set up like?

Whats a good diet for Yellow Labs?

I am currently planning on setting up a 29 gallon tank. So far its just cycling and has a finely crushed coral substrate of about 1.5 inches thick. I have plans for up to 4 or possibly 5 Yellow Labs.

Also whats this about a blue variety of labs? I keep hearing people talking about a blue lab.

Thanks for the help. Appreciate it.

Steve

 

[OCSupertones]

Hey Steven, Welcome to AC!

as for your questions...

I keep Electric Yellow's (labidichromis caeruleus)

I love them, there color is eye catching.

I would say they are the easiest fish when it comes to africans, just try to buy good stock(ones that are eating, and dont have sunken bellies)

They like rocky areas with some caves. mine also like to be in the open...but in nature, its mainly rocks.

Once again in nature, they like rocks with algae, so in captivity they should be fed mainly algae based food (spirinula, kelp, etc)
Mine really like Romaine lettuce and zucchini

4-5 in a 29 should be fine, i would go for 1-2 males and then 3-4 females.

They're difficult to sex, but generally males have black on their bottom fins, and females dont, and generally males have egg spots.

I have females that ignore those generalities though

 

[JSchmidt]

I agree with what's above. Mine hide quite a bit, but if I sit quietly they come out and are quite active.

I feed mine a mixture of algae wafers and Tetra Cichlid sticks (which they love).

I think the blue variety is one of the common colorations of this fish in nature, but I've never seen one in an LFS. I'd like to have one, though...

These are great 'starter fish' for those who want to get into african cichlids. I've had so many people ask me if they're saltwater fish, due to their intense coloration.

Good luck,
Jim

 

[OCSupertones]

Originally posted by Steven
Also whats this about a blue variety of labs? I keep hearing people talking about a blue lab.

In nature they are usually blue/light blue-white.

The blue lab might be the "Electric blue johanni" i've heard Melanochromis Johanni referred to as the blue lab, and electric blue.

Not related to the "Electric yellow", but common names are hard to drop because they are more frequently used than the latin names.

 

[deerleaf]

As everyone else has said, they are very easy as a
beginner. the one's I had bred like crazy. They are a very
peaceful fish that thrive in virtually any setup, but I would
stick basically to the general rule of thumb with most africans
in you should have extensive rockwork-or at least a group
of caves, nooks/crannies for them to dart in and out of.
They do require a more veggie diet, but bloodworms every
now and then won't be a problem. Any other fish that has
blue or red make great additional fish to the tank community.
Zebra's may be a bit rough on them though. Stick with
Peacock's if you choose to add other fish. Good luck!!!

 

[mee-mee]

we still have our original female lab. She has been thru 9 fry. And the original male we had to get rid of because he kept on getting her brooding. And we have tried time and time again to only keep female labs in our 80. But a male sneeks in (us thinking is was a female)....but we love our yellows. They are so fun to watch...

 

[efors]

Hi, Steven!
If you are looking for a one species tank, maybe a 29gal will work for 4 or 5 yellow labs only; but that's all you should add in it. A 29gal is just 30 inches long. In a 30gal tank (36" long), I think 2 species can live together; IMHO.
Anyways, good luck and welcome folk! :welcome:

 

[efors]

The blue lab might be the "Electric blue johanni" i've heard Melanochromis Johanni referred to as the blue lab, and electric blue.

Not related to the "Electric yellow", but common names are hard to drop because they are more frequently used than the latin names.

The electric blue johanni is really Melanochromis cyaneorhabdos. Not related to the electric yellow lab (Labidochromis caeruleus), as OCSupertones says.

 

[kay-bee]

Also whats this about a blue variety of labs? I keep hearing people talking about a blue lab.

Labiochromis caeruleus collected from the Nkhata Bay area in Lake Malawi (white with a blue sheen).

These were the first disocovered l. caeruleus and the species is named after them ('caeruleus' after all means 'blue'; the 'non-blue' electric yellow is just a more popular color morph of the same species, though originates from different collection points).