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Mouthbugs – exotic fish with an unusual appearance

Mouthbang, often mistakenly referred to as a mermaid – this fish has fascinated scientists for many years. In most cases, mouthbugs are found only in a few places on the ground. Some species can only be found in one location. They are impressive and, by the way, a bit less aggressive than, for example, cichlids. However, they still delight with their presence. What requirements do mouthbrood fish have as fish? Check!

Mouthbugs – origin

In fact, the majority of the Malawi cichlids are endemic. This means that they only occur in one area, usually a specific body of water. All over the world, these are the cichlids that usually feed in Lake Tanganyika, as well as the cichlids that are found naturally in Lake Malawi.

Mouthbugs – species of fish

Many species of Malawi cichlids, especially the popular ones, come from one place. These are the so-called Malawi cichlids from the lake of the same name. These are the species that most often appear in aquariums.

Yellow mouthpiece

Yellow mouths are freshwater fish classified as cichlids according to the taxonomy. They are distinguished mainly by the yellow color. No wonder that this fish is also known as the yellow muzzle. It comes from Lake Malawi. It forages even at a depth of 25 m. It is small, reaching a size of up to 10 cm. It is relatively mild for a representative of this family, but it is still considered a territorial fish.

Pyszczak Maingano

Despite belonging to this family, it is a herbivorous fish. Mouth of the Maingano comes from Lake Malawi, it lives at a maximum depth of 20 meters. It grows up to a maximum of 10 cm. It has a characteristic, extremely effective coloration – black with bright blue stripes, dots and markings on the body, head and fins. It requires a large tank from 150 l. It is territorial, aggressive and it feels best in a single-species aquarium with four females per male.

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Saulosi mouthbrood

This is another Malawi mouthpiece, although this fish is also found in Lake Malombe. It forages at a depth of about 20 meters, on a sandy bottom. It grows up to 25 cm, and sometimes even 30 cm, if it has the conditions for it. They are predatory mouthbugs, therefore they are not recommended for social aquariums. One adult male may belong to the 500 liter aquarium. There can be several females.

A helmeted mouthpiece

The distinctive appearance is something that distinguishes this fish. This mouthbrood belongs to the so-called frontos mouthbrood, it can live at a depth of up to 50 meters. He lives, unheard of, in shoals in Lake Tanganyika. It grows up to 30 cm. It has a distinctive hump on the head, as well as a blue-gray coloration with vertical stripes. As for mouthbugs, these fish are relatively friendly. However, they require a very large tank – the minimum for a small herd is 500 l.

Great mouthpiece

Unlike all mouthbrooders, it grows only up to 8 cm in length. It lives in Lake Malawi, in shoals moving up to 15 meters deep. Females are yellow and males are blue with black stripes. It does not require such a large tank, because for one male and several females, a 100-liter tank with a sandy bottom is enough.

Muzzle fish – what kind of fish can they be with?

Aggressive, territorial, reluctant – such are mouthbrood fish. What fish can they be in one tank with? It depends on the specific species. Usually, the mouthbrooders can stay with representatives of the same species in pairs, or in a small group. Some smaller and calmer species even form shoals. The larger the fish, the less likely it is to perform well in a multi-species aquarium.
Mouthbugs are fish with an interesting appearance. However, it must be remembered that many of them are not suitable for social aquariums. Always check this before choosing a specific fish. Remember that mouthbrooders have specific needs related to conditions. Fill them up and put the fish into the mature tank.

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Fot. Cedricguppy – Loury Cédric via Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0