South African Mouth Brooder

The South African Mouthbrooder is a colorful and bright fish. Scientifically, this fish is known as Pseudocremlabrus philander. Synonyms of the fish are Haplochromis philander, H.philander dispersus, Hemihaplochromisphilander. It has a life span of about 3 to 5 years. It is an enduring little cichlid that is very suitable for novices. It is trouble-free to keep and breed.

Habitat of South African Mouthbrooder

This fish is found in a broad array of biotopes. This includes lakes, streams, sinkholes and ponds. Several populations subsist in slightly brackish conditions.

Diet of South African Mouthbrooder

The fish accepts any food that is offered to it. Its staple diet consists of flakes of good quality or small pellets. The fish will feel thankful if you treat it with blood worms and brine shrimp.

Physical Characteristics of South African Mouthbrooder

The males of this species are very colorful. Their lips are particularly attractive which are of blue-green color. Although not yet widespread in the hobby, P.philander is gradually replacing its better-known relative P. multicolor which is the Egyptian Mouthbrooder. The fish grows to the size of about 11 cm or 4.5 inches.

Breeding South African Mouthbrooder

This fish is unique for its mouth brooding characteristic which is not found among the majority of dwarf Cichlids. After the completion of spawning, the female scoops up the eggs for incubation. The brooding period continues to two weeks. At the time of brooding, the female does not eat. A majority of the Malawi Cichlids is in a habit of removing their fry and move on but this fish safeguards its fry for many more days. After the spawning is over, the male tries to look for another mate. This is a typical maternal mouthbrooder. It is advisable to separate the sexes after spawning.

Tank Set Up for South African Mouthbrooder

The tank of this fish should have lots of spaces to hide. You can use roots, pieces of driftwood and clay pot caves for this purpose. It is not necessary to provide plants in the tank but it will be good if you provide an additional cover. It is prudent to provide a sand or fine gravel substrate because the male will dig while spawning. The temperature of the tank should be 72-77 degree F or 22-25 degree C. The pH should be 6.5-7.5 and hardness of water should be 5-12 degree H.

Compatibility of South African Mouthbrooder

The fish can have aggressive temperament towards other species that inhabit the lower reaches of the aquarium. Catfish, loaches and the like do well with it in a large tank. In a small one rainbowfish, larger African tetras etc. are good companions for it. Male fish is extremely violent towards one another and it would be wise if you keep only one and maintain it in a harem situation with numerous females. If you keep more than one male in the same tank, only one leading fish is likely to form a territory and spawn with the available females unless the tank is very big.

Geographically, South African Mouthbrooder is found in Democratic Republic of Congo, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Angola, Zambia, South Africa, Tanzania, Mozambique, Namibia, Botswana and Swaziland. This fish species is not frequently seen in the hobby. This is a pity because it is an eye-catching fish with attention-grabbing behavior. With the help of the above account, take good care of this fish and keep it with you for a long time.