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Common Name: Blue Dolphin, Malawi Dolphin
Scientific Name: Cyrtocara moorii
Size (cm) M/F: 20/16
Habitat: Prefers sandy substrate and open water.
Temperature Range: Not particular, range between 24C - 28C
Min. Tank Requirement: Large aquariums are best, in excess of 250L for a group of 1 male and 3 females.
Food: Not fussy eaters, will take all processed foods (ie. flake, pellets), frozen bloodworm and live shrimp. They do not show much interest in vegetable offerings.
Breeding: Juvenile fish are difficult to sex. Both sexes exhibit identical colouring, although mature males develop a more pronounced nuchal hump. There seems to be a lack of structural breeding pits; the spawning occurs on the sand. Eggs are fertilised as the male follows the female over the eggs, before she circles back to retrieve them. They are incubated for about 18 days.
Temperament/Notes: I have found C. moorii to have a relatively gentle nature, with slightly aggressive tendencies appearing during spawning. Young fish will exhibit fright/night patterns in the form of black blotches when startled. These disappear with age. I am currently trialling C. moorii for suitability as hosts for Synodontis multipunctatus (Cuckoo Catfish).
