# Metriaclima Callainos (Cobalt Blue Zebra) Behavior Questions



## CutieSusieQ (May 12, 2009)

Calling all Metriaclima Callainos experts!

I've been trying to research the behavior of Cobalt Blue Zebras (Metriaclima Callainos) but everything I read online is the same ol same ol everywhere I go. It's not helping me out much so I wanted to ask on here...

I have read that they build nest in the substrate, but what I've read doesn't say much more than that. Is this "nest building" something they do when breeding or is this just the "digging" that is typical for many African Cichlids? My Cobalts have huge mounds built in certain areas in my 55 gallon. They just all of a sudden started doing this about two weeks ago and I've had them since last June (bought em as juvies). I have 7 Cobalts, btw. They just suddenly became active. I've noticed that two of my Cobalts appear to be "bullies" and I am assuming they are males b/c they are bigger and a beautiful fluorescent blue with several egg spots. The other five Cobalts are a deeper shade of blue, smaller, and don't have as many egg spots. One of the "bullies" guards the left side of the tank while the other one guards the right side of the tank. They ignore my Yellow Labs completely, but if another Cobalt comes near their rock the chase begins!! They aren't pecking at their fins or anything, they are just chasing them away it appears... Is this breeding behavior or just normal behavior? Should I sell one of the males? Or is it ok to have them both in the same tank?

I do think one of my Cobalt females is holding b/c she's not eating and she appears to be chewing on gum. This will be the 1st time one my Cobalts breed, so I'm kinda excited! My Yellow Labs have bred before so I'm ready and have a "grow out" tank on hand to put her in.

Just tell me all you can about the behavior of Cobalts, please.


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## football mom (Feb 19, 2006)

I don't have cobalts, but it sounds like you have two males that have each staked out a territory.


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## fox (Jun 11, 2009)

We have two males about a year now. I have heard they can have a mean streak but ours show no more aggression than the typical mbuna but then we do not have any female callainos in the tank with them.

We do have two female zebra in there with them but the zebra can get downright nasty so they mind their own business.

We never get good experiences with our girls and their first spawns. It takes them a bit to get it right. Sometimes we can get a few fry and other times they get hungry before fullterm. Good luck with your holding mom.


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## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

I have one in my all male tank and he's probably by far the most aggressive fish I have and I have some aggressive species.

He's constantly chasing other fish around and trying to pick fights with all the other fish.

Basically from my experience they are pretty aggressive. They do tend to give up pretty easy though and move onto another fish so the aggressive is well dispersed and has resulted in no permenant damage to any fish; although he has nearly killed a dem or two, but they are small anyhow.


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## CutieSusieQ (May 12, 2009)

The female Cobalt I thought was holding, definitely is!! I just saw inside her mouth.


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## lablag (Feb 28, 2010)

i added some juvies to my tank yesterday and they seemed to try and claim territories straight away ! a male has claimed the centre rock in my tank already
they seem to chase other fish at will but as said above give up easily and go to another if there are plenty with them...lots of displaying too


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## CutieSusieQ (May 12, 2009)

Here's a photo of my male ... He's so awesome. I just wish he didn't chase everybody!


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## fox (Jun 11, 2009)

Nice color on him. Got some size on him also. :thumb:

Our males have to play second fiddle to a pretty huge Zebra who plays tank boss.


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## larry.beck (Jul 31, 2009)

My understanding is that cobalt blues are somewhat finicky about spawning, and mine haven't done so thus far even though they are both mature. Congrats!

By the way, I have my cobalts in a mixed talk and in that tank there is a chipokae and a red zebra male that are definitely the aggressors; the cobalt male stays out of the way (doesn't hide, just avoids the more aggressive fish).


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## CutieSusieQ (May 12, 2009)

It's really cool watching my Cobalts' behavior. They NEVER chase my Yellow Labs. They act like they can't even see them. But the two Cobalts I mentioned in my first posting are ALWAYS chasing each other and my other Cobalts.... My Yellow Labs have spawned twice to my Cobalt's one time, and I think my Labs are working on spawning again right now.


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## srook23 (Feb 21, 2009)

Susie, you are luckier than me if that's the case. My Cobalt will chase down anything and everything in tank except the demasoni. I guess he doesn't mess with them because they are so small.


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## fiupntballr (Jul 7, 2004)

Having another male in the tank is sometimes good in that you will see a lot of competition for females making your tank a bit more active. Chasing around is ok as long as you don't start seeing your fish getting injured or hovering in corners... When you find that it means it has given up and is just getting its butt kicked. At that point then I would say remove them. Remember since these fish dont form pairs males dont get ready for breeding... they are always ready for breeding and pick out territories... As the male gets bigger and more dominant you may find his territory gets larger. He needs to make sure if a female ever comes by that wants to spawn he can entice her to spawn with him vs the other males.


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## Mudkicker (Apr 2, 2003)

with the exception of a few mbuna species (Labidochromis caeruleus, iodotropheus sprengerae, etc) a 55g will eventually be too small and you will encounter problems with your Cobalts. IMO and IME the right way to do a mixed mbuna tank is with a 6ft 120G+ tank with the correct male to female ratio.

M


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## yalej (Apr 30, 2014)

Quick question guys: I recently got 1 M and 2 F of these fish. Recently discovered 1F dead. I have read that you need a higher M/F ratio, like 1/4. The thing is, during the day they seem fine, but at night I guess is when things go down. Is this likely M on F aggression, or could it be something else (fish was just not healthy). (ammonia = 0, nitrate ~ 5ppm or less).


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'd want at least 4 females. How big are the fish and what are the dimensions of your tank?


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