Pseudotropheus crabro

Pseudotropheus crabro, the Bumblebee Cichlid, is one of the most behaviourally fascinating mbuna in Lake Malawi. Juveniles and females display bold yellow-and-black barred colouration resembling a bumblebee — a mimicry that allows them to approach large catfish (particularly Bagrus meridionalis) and clean ectoparasites from their skin and gills. Adult males gradually darken to near-black with faint barring.

This parasite-cleaning behaviour is unique among mbuna and gives the species a mixed dietary ecology — it eats algae and invertebrates but also actively seeks out host catfish to parasitise. In the aquarium this cleaning behaviour rarely manifests, but the species should still receive a varied diet including small animal proteins. It is highly aggressive toward conspecifics. A 1M:4F+ harem in a 250 L+ tank with dense rockwork is essential. Females are maternal mouthbrooders holding for 21–28 days.

Water: 24–28°C, pH 7.8–8.5, hard (GH 10–25, KH 6–15); strong filtration and frequent water changes. Tank: 250 L minimum; dense rockwork; one male only to prevent lethal male conflict. Feeding: Varied diet — quality cichlid pellets, spirulina flake, and occasional frozen Mysis or brine shrimp to reflect omnivorous nature. Breeding: Maternal mouthbrooder; female holds 21–28 days; isolate to a nursery tank once brooding begins. Compatibility: Aggressive; best with robust mbuna; highly aggressive toward conspecific males — one male per tank only.