Description:
The Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid (Maylandia callainos) is a striking freshwater African cichlid renowned for its vibrant blue colouration and active personality. Native to the rocky shores of Lake Malawi in East Africa, this Mbuna species is a popular choice for aquarists looking to create a colourful African cichlid aquarium. Its intense blue tones can make a real impression amongst the rocks and caves of a properly designed setup, while its energetic behaviour provides plenty of activity throughout the aquarium.
Cobalt Blue Zebras are a hardy species when provided with suitable water conditions and a well-maintained aquarium. Like other Mbuna, they are naturally adapted to alkaline, mineral-rich water and a rocky environment with plenty of crevices to explore. They are best suited to larger aquariums where they have enough space to establish territories and where the aquarium can be carefully structured to help distribute aggression.
Temperament:
Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlids are considered semi-aggressive and can become particularly territorial when establishing breeding territories. While they can be successfully kept in an African cichlid community, careful selection of tank mates and an appropriately sized aquarium are important.
Providing plenty of rocks, caves and visual barriers allows fish to establish territories without constantly remaining in each other's line of sight. Maintaining an appropriate group structure can also help distribute aggression throughout the aquarium. They should not be kept with small, timid or overly peaceful fish that may struggle to compete with their active nature.
Diet:
Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlids are omnivorous, but their diet should be centred around high-quality, vegetable-rich foods that reflect the natural feeding habits of Mbuna. A quality spirulina-based flake or pellet should form the foundation of their diet, providing essential nutrients while supporting healthy growth and vibrant colouration. AquaMunch Super Greens Flakes, containing 38% spirulina, are an excellent staple food choice.
Their diet can be supplemented occasionally with other suitable foods, but excessive amounts of rich, protein-heavy foods should be avoided. Offering small portions once or twice daily is preferable to large meals, helping maintain good body condition while reducing unnecessary waste and maintaining water quality.
Breeding Behaviour:
Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlids are maternal mouthbrooders and can breed readily when maintained in suitable conditions. During breeding, the male will establish and defend a territory, often around rocks or a suitable spawning site, before displaying to attract a female.
The female lays her eggs and then collects them in her mouth, where they are fertilised and incubated. She continues to carry the developing eggs and fry in her mouth for approximately three weeks, during which time she may eat very little. Once the fry are sufficiently developed, she releases them from her mouth and they begin swimming and feeding independently.
Providing plenty of rockwork and hiding places gives females somewhere to retreat during breeding and provides newly released fry with shelter from other fish. If successfully raising fry is the goal, a separate breeding or fry-growing setup can greatly improve survival rates.
Care Guide:
- Species – Maylandia callainos
- Common Name – Cobalt Blue Zebra Cichlid
- Origin – Lake Malawi, Africa
- Temperament – Semi-aggressive
- Diet – Omnivore
- Minimum Tank Requirement – 200 litres
- Tank Level – Middle to bottom dweller
- Care Level – Moderate
- PH Range – 7.8 – 8.5
- Temperature – Tropical 24 – 28°C
- Breed Type – Maternal mouthbrooder
- Size – Grows to approximately 12–15 cm
- Sex – Un-sexed
Acclimation Guide:
- Float the Bag: Place the unopened bag in your tank and let it float for 15–20 minutes. This lets the water inside the bag slowly match your tank’s temperature.
- Turn Off the Lights: Keep the aquarium lights off during this process. It helps keep things calm and prevents sudden temperature changes.
- Add a Bit of Tank Water: After floating, carefully open the bag and pour out about half the water into a sink or bucket (not into your tank). Then, slowly add small amounts of your tank water into the bag over 15–20 minutes. This helps your fish adjust to the new water conditions.
- Gently Move the Fish: Use a fish net to gently move your fish from the bag into the tank. Try not to pour the bag water into your tank — this helps keep your aquarium clean and healthy.
- Watch and Wait: It’s normal for fish to hide or act a bit shy at first. Keep an eye on them, and avoid doing a water change for the first 24 hours to give them time to settle in.
- Feeding Behaviour: New fish may not eat any food for the first 12-24 hours whilst it is settling into its new environment, please allow some time before feeding as the food may go to waste.
For more detailed steps and tips, feel free to visit our Acclimation Guide in our Education tab to help make the transition as smooth as possible for your new fish.
Cobalt Blue Zabra Cichlid
Cobalt Blue Zabra Cichlid
Size Guide
Adult size 15cm
Selected size —
Low stock: 2 left
Need more details? Everything about shipping, care and guarantees is just below.
Shipping & Live Arrival Guarantee
Shipping & Live Arrival Guarantee
✅ Healthy Fish Guarantee - All orders are covered by our Live Arrival Guarantee with DOA (Dead On Arrival) policies in place for peace of mind.
🚚 $30 flat-rate shipping - Arrives within 1-4 business days, Free shipping on fish for orders over $150.
📦 Ordering supplies too? - Dry goods ship separately and have their own $11.95 shipping fee. This ensures faster delivery, so your fish never wait for equipment to be in stock. When ordering both fish and dry goods, both shipping fees apply ($30 + $11.95 = $41.95 total).
🌿 Packed safely - Fast, reliable shipping with oxygen, insulation and careful handling, packaging Includes insulated boxes, insulation such as news paper to keep everything warm and snug, heat packs during colder seasons, and high quality fish bags.
📦🐟 Live Fish Ship Mondays & Tuesdays Only - To minimise transit time and ensure your fish arrive happy and healthy.
🚚💨Express shipping ONLY - These orders will be defaulted to Express shipping so your fish get to you as fast as possible.
💙 Thank you - for helping us put the health and safety of our fish first!
👉 For more detailed information, please visit our shipping page.
Tank Requirements - Quick Overview
Tank Requirements - Quick Overview
If your aquarium is new, it may not be fully cycled yet. Newly set up tanks benefit from being fully cycled before adding fish, this process helps your new fish stay happy and healthy. Depending on your tank size, cycling can take up to 4–6 weeks or even longer, but there are ways to speed up this process to just a few days! If your tank has already been running for a while, you’re already good to go! Not sure what cycling means? Check out our guide on The Nitrogen Cycle for an easy explanation on what it is, and why it is important for your aquarium to thrive.
🐟 Want expert tips for your aquarium? Beginners can start with How to set up your aquarium, while everyone can check out Aquarium Maintenece & Care for ongoing tank tips!
How We Package & Ship Your Fish - Video
How We Package & Ship Your Fish - Video
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Tank Mate Compatibility
✅ Compatible With
- Other Mbuna Cichlid — Best kept in groups, as they share similar temperament, diet, and water requirements
- Haplochromis (Haps) — Comparable African cichlids that match well in size and activity levels
- Synodontis Catfish — Hardy, peaceful bottom dwellers that coexist well in Malawi setups
- Other Malawi Cichlids (carefully selected) — Can work in larger, well-structured aquariums when aggression levels are balanced
❌ Avoid or Use Caution
- Synodontis “Cuckoo” Catfish — While interesting tank mates, they are not recommended in breeding setups. These catfish are known brood parasites and may interfere with mouthbrooding cichlids by spawning during the breeding process, resulting in disrupted broods
- Overly Aggressive Cichlids — Large or dominant species can intimidate or injure Dragon Blood Peacocks
- Very Small Fish — Species such as nano fish may become stressed due to size difference and constant activity
- Slow or Timid Species — Peaceful fish that prefer calm environments are not suited to the active cichlid setup
- Mixed Breeding Setups — Eggs and fry may be lost or consumed in active community tanks
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