Banana Fish

Electric Yellow Lab Aquarium Care, Feeding and Native Habitat Information

The Electric Yellow Lab is quite possibly the most popular African Cichlid found within the aquarium hobby. Their bright yellow coloration, moderate size and temperament has made them extremely popular for African Cichlid enthusiasts for decades. It is this popularity that has led breeders to breed this species in great quantities, which has made them readily available within the aquarium hobby. In the wild this species is actually quite rare and inhabits only a small range within Lake Malawi, with only a dozen or so morphologies seen throughout the lake. While the Electric Yellow Lab is considered rare in the wild, it enjoys a very sizeable population within the aquarium hobby, that by far out-sizes their wild population many times over.

Electric Yellow Labs are a peaceful and relatively shy species compared to most other African Cichlids; however, the Electric Yellow Lab still displays distinct social and territorial behaviors common to the majority of African Cichlids. The Electric Yellow Lab will act aggressively towards fish of similar body shape and color perceived to be a threat to their territory, their food supply or attention for their mate. As with other African Cichlids, Electric Yellow Labs prefer an aquarium that has a sandy substrate with plenty of rock formations that provide caves and crevices. Yellow Labs are a deep cave dwelling species and will appreciate the addition of some deep, dark caves in which to inhabit and explore along with some hardy robust live plants or similarly shaped fake plants. As this is a very active species, it is best to provide them with an abundance of caves throughout the aquarium. Electric Yellow Labs do best in groups and should be housed with other species of similar size and temperament in aquariums that are able to provide them with plenty of space to establish territory for themselves.

The Electric Yellow Lab is an omnivore that feeds primarily upon insects, snails, and mollusks in the wild; however, in the aquarium, this fish can be fed a wide assortment of foods ranging from flake and pellet foods to frozen foods. Ideally they should be fed a varied diet that consists of both meaty and vegetable matter in flake or pellet foods that they can take from the surface or water column. It is best to feed them as much as they will consume within a few minutes a couple times a day.