# Why the white lips?



## adam858585 (Nov 20, 2010)

Does anyone have any idea what is causing my mbuna especially EB Johanni to be having white lips, Some days they dont have them and others they do, can this be due to locking lips and if so why do they do it?
Thanks


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## dielikemoviestars (Oct 23, 2007)

Yep, either lip-locking or scraping algae off of rocks. They lip-lock to fight/establish dominance. It's normal. Start worrying when you see major wounds or a fish exiled to the top/bottom corner of the tank. :thumb:


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## adam858585 (Nov 20, 2010)

lol, i think it will be due to lip locking then as the tank is algae free thanks to my bristlenose, Is it just males that lock lips or will the females do it to, or even a m locking lips with a f?


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## Kanorin (Apr 8, 2008)

adam858585 said:


> lol, i think it will be due to lip locking then as the tank is algae free thanks to my bristlenose, Is it just males that lock lips or will the females do it to, or even a m locking lips with a f?


It's the rock and not the algae that causes a fish's mouth to turn white when they scrape it. Even if there is no visible algae, mbuna often scrape rocks and probably get some algae that we can't even see with our naked eye.

In the case of lip-locking, any gender combination can engage in this behavior. For adults, it is usually between two males, but juvenile males and females both often exhibit this behavior.


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