# Bumblebee cichlids



## Bratty2 (Oct 13, 2010)

I'm new to this forum so Hi
I have both a male and a female Bumblebee Cichlid which I bought at the same time from the same tank, at the same store.
They were both the same size when they were bought but now the female is about 25% larger than the male.
Does anyone know if this could be considered normal?
I have them both in a 55 gallon tank and are both fed the same foods.


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## GaFishMan1181 (Dec 17, 2008)

Its not unheard of for a female to grow quicker but in the end the male will probably end up being bigger.

The only other thing i can think of is maybe you have the male confused for the female and visa versa.


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## torin32 (May 24, 2010)

Your male should turn black and usually is larger of the two if im not mistaken, but who knows the exact age of the two. If you didnt spawn them from the same batch it is impossible to tell. What size of tank do you have and the dimensions. Bees get nasty in pairs and alone they are on the larger side. I have one female she is about 4 inches now and growing fast. Good luck let us know if you need any help or have any questions there are so many here versed in these fish. Good luck.


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## Bratty2 (Oct 13, 2010)

*torin32*

Hi

Thanks for your reply.
My Bumblebee which I am thinking is a male is mostly black as the black stripes flow into one another giving him a blotchy appearance, in fact I have named him " Blotch ". He is about 3 inches long. The other I think to be female, " Sarge " , has the yellow body with very distinct black stripes. I wish I could send photos but I'm not sure if it is even possible on this forum.
I have them in a 55 gallon tank which is approx. 48"L x 20"H x 13.5" W.
Thanks again for your help


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## Rusco_Rat (Oct 20, 2010)

The male Psuedotropheus Crabro (Bumblebee Cichlid) will usually, like most mouthbrooders, have yellow "egg spots" on his anal fin and sometimes on the dorsal fin too!!


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

Rusco_Rat said:


> The male Psuedotropheus Crabro (Bumblebee Cichlid) will usually, like most mouthbrooders, have yellow "egg spots" on his anal fin and sometimes on the dorsal fin too!!


Egg spots is not a reliable indicator of gender.


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## Rusco_Rat (Oct 20, 2010)

My Bumblebee female recently had nine youne ones (see pic with mom in the background)!!!

http://i1103.photobucket.com/albums/g47 ... C04769.jpg

I let mom spit naturally and then isolated the babies to a nursery tank?? They're now all doing well and are just over 4 mnths, mom has been reintrodoced to the tank (see her lurking in the background)!!

Pa is too aggro and i only have the one female!!! Pa was harassing her day and night!!!


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

How long was Mom out of your main tank?


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## Dewdrop (Nov 20, 2007)

Hi Bratty2, & welcome to the forum. It's GREAT place for info.

Sorry I'm not answering your question :lol: but I've never kept Pseudotropheus crabro (bumblebees).

You can post pictures here though. You just have to put them into a photo sharing site like Photobucket etc. first & then post them from there. There's directions for it somewhere in the forum & it's real easy to do.

A 55g. tank is ok for most mbuna but the real aggressive species (& I think crabro is one...they also get pretty big, I think) should have a larger tank. They aren't pairing fish either but harem breeders... meaning there should be 4-5 females for every male & the more aggressive species should have even more females. One female just can't keep up with how much a male wants to breed & he can end up killing her. Perhaps you could keep just one bumblebee in your 55g. tank. I've heard that one alone isn't as bad.

Hope someone with more experience with the species can help more.


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## Bratty2 (Oct 13, 2010)

*Dewdrop*
Thanks for the info on posting photos...I'll try it soon.
Believe it or not my Pseudotropheus crabro are very peaceful in the aquarium and give way to a smaller red zebra I have. I also have three female and one male Jewel cichlid which also do very well. So far except for an occasional chase off that lasts less than a second everyone seems happy. I hope it stays that way :roll:


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## Bratty2 (Oct 13, 2010)

ok.....I'm trying to post pics of my Bumblebee cichlids....does anyone have ideas as to sex?
For the FISH I mean :lol: 



I think the border may cut some from the pics. I wasn't expecting that...Anyway....does anyone have an idea :?


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Red zebras can be pushy brats :lol: I don't know who'd win in a fight between them and bees though. What/how many species do you currently have? And how big is everyone?


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## PGA material (Apr 3, 2003)

Bratty2 said:


> ok.....I'm trying to post pics of my Bumblebee cichlids....does anyone have ideas as to sex?
> For the FISH I mean :lol:
> 
> 
> ...


That doe not look like any male crabros I have owned. They can go almost completey black when maturing and I would get another 5 or 6 females for a male as when they get to wanting to spawn they can be very nasty, accually the nastiest mbuna I have ever owned!!


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## Bratty2 (Oct 13, 2010)

*toume*
I only have those three species of cichlids...the larger Crabo is about 4 inches and the smaller is about three....the same for the red Zebra ( He is blue BTW ), The Jewels are about 2 - 2 1/2 inches.
I also have a Raphael catfish, and a common Pleco about 4 inches


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## Bratty2 (Oct 13, 2010)

*PGA material*
Thanks for the info....I just wasn't sure but if they're both females then I'll just keep them with no males as I'm, not interested in breeding at all.


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## toume (Oct 7, 2010)

Bratty2:

Oh cool! So does keeping the more aggressive fish together--to butt heads--work? How much chasing do you see?

Want to post some pics of the bluexred zebra? I'm trying to identify if one of my juvies is one...I know they're rare, so my hopes aren't too high....I'd appreciate it!

Was yours grey/black when it was young?


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## Bratty2 (Oct 13, 2010)

He has always been this color and does the chasing, but only until the other fish moves of. There is rarely any nipping and so far no fights. Apparently both my Bumble bees are female so there is no breeding to worry about.


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## Bratty2 (Oct 13, 2010)

*toume*
This is another link that may help
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/met_estherae.php


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