Red zebra cichlid
An orange mbuna that is not orange in the wild in the way the shops sell it — the natural female is orange-blotched and the natural male is blue. Almost all aquarium stock is a line-bred orange of both sexes, which makes sexing it by colour impossible and stocking it badly very easy.
Quick profile
- Scientific name
- Maylandia estherae
- Adult size
- 10–13 cm (3.9–5.1 in)
- Lifespan
- 6–10 years
- Temperature
- 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- pH
- 7.6–8.6
- Hardness
- 10–20 °dGH
- Minimum tank
- 250 L (66 US gal)
- Minimum length
- 120 cm
- Swimming zone
- All levels
- Social
- Harem — at least 5
- Diet
- Herbivore
- Overall confidence
- moderate confidence
What keeping this species involves
Physically robust and straightforward to feed correctly once the diet is taken seriously. The demanding part is the social arrangement, and it cannot be fixed after the fact by adding a hiding place.
The sediment-rich rocky shore, where algal turf grows on rock surfaces and the fish graze it continuously.
Identity and names
- Common name
- Red zebra cichlid
- Scientific name
- Maylandia estherae
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Order
- Cichliformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Also sold as
- Maylandia estherae, Metriaclima estherae, Pseudotropheus estherae, esther grant's zebra
- Former or synonymous names
- Metriaclima estherae, Pseudotropheus estherae
Name ambiguity
Published as Pseudotropheus, moved to Metriaclima and to Maylandia, and the choice between the last two is an unresolved question of which name has priority rather than a disagreement about the fish. Both are current in the literature and both are searchable here.
Adult size and growth
10–13 cm (3.9–5.1 in)
Typical lifespan in an aquarium: 6–10 years. Almost every animal sold in a shop is a juvenile, so the tank has to suit the size in the first line rather than the size in the bag.
Shape, which is what the compatibility engine reads instead of length alone: deep-bodied with a moderate. Assigned from what is typical of Cichlidae, not examined for this species.
Water and tank requirements
Mbuna aggression is managed by giving each fish somewhere to be that is out of sight of the fish chasing it. Broken rockwork over a long footprint does that; a short tank with one pile does not.
Temperature (°C)
Scale: 0 to 36 °C.
pH (pH)
Scale: 4 to 9.5 pH.
Hardness (°dGH)
Scale: 0 to 30 °dGH.
Why these ranges: Lake Malawi's rocky shore. The upper temperature is set a degree above the peacocks' because the shallow rock zone this species occupies is warmer than the deeper sand.
Where these figures come from
Habitat class
Lake Malawi
A large rift lake — alkaline and well buffered, but considerably softer and less mineral-rich than Tanganyika.
Alkaline but not hard. The widespread advice to add large quantities of salt mix for Malawi cichlids overshoots the lake, and the pH matters more than the hardness does.
- Conductivity
- 200–280 µS/cm
- Flow
- low
- Dissolved oxygen
- near saturation
- Seasonality
- weak
These are figures for the KIND of water body, not measurements of this species. They are AquariumHQ’s summary of the general limnology and are given wide because the water is.
- TemperatureReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
- pHReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
- General hardnessReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
| Requirement | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 24–28 °C (75–82 °F) | Stability matters more than hitting an exact figure. |
| pH | 7.6–8.6 | A stable pH outside the ideal band is usually better than an unstable one inside it. |
| General hardness | 10–20 °dGH | Check your supplier's published figure before choosing species. |
| Carbonate hardness | 10–18 °dKH | Buffering capacity — what stops the pH moving. |
| Minimum volume | 250 L (66 US gal) | A floor, not a recommendation. |
| Minimum footprint | 120 cm long × 40 cm deep | Mbuna aggression is managed by giving each fish somewhere to be that is out of sight of the fish chasing it. Broken rockwork over a long footprint does that; a short tank with one pile does not. |
| Water flow | moderate | Match the outflow to this rather than to the filter's rating. |
| Lid required | Recommended | Reduces evaporation and prevents accidents. |
| Structure | Stacked rock from substrate to near the surface, with as many through-routes as possible. Sight-line breaks are the working part; the caves are secondary. |
Behaviour
- Grazes rock surfaces in short scraping passes for most of the day, moving continuously rather than settling.
- Males adopt a rock and drive other males away from it, and the driving is genuine rather than display.
Telling males from females
In wild fish, males are blue and females orange with dark blotching. In the orange aquarium strain both sexes are orange and the reliable difference is the egg-spot pattern on the anal fin, which is not readable at shop size.
Feeding
An aufwuchs grazer with a long gut adapted to plant material. Sustained high-protein feeding is associated with the intestinal disorder the hobby calls Malawi bloat, and the mechanism is dietary rather than infectious.
- Diet type
- Herbivore
- Staples
- Spirulina flake, Vegetable cichlid pellets, Blanched courgette, Nori sheet
- Avoid
- Bloodworm, Beef heart, High-protein carnivore pellets
Breeding
- Strategy
- Maternal mouthbrooding after spawning over a flat rock surface
- Difficulty
- incidental
- Parental care
- mouthbrooding
It happens without intervention and repeatedly. The practical question is what to do with the fry rather than how to produce them.
Tankmates and compatibility
Assessments are derived from stored traits by the compatibility engine, with the reasoning shown. A verdict is a statement about probability, not a guarantee — individual temperament can override it.
| Towards | Risk | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Small fish | high | Anything that fits in the mouth is at risk once this species reaches adult size. |
| Adult dwarf shrimp | high | Cover reduces losses but rarely prevents them where the risk is high. |
| Shrimplets | near-certain | Determines whether a shrimp colony can grow rather than merely persist. |
| Snails | moderate | Applies to snails you wanted as well as snails you did not. |
| Long or trailing fins | occasional | Fin damage is an entry point for secondary infection. |
| Plants | consumes | Tough species such as Anubias and Java fern survive most grazers. |
Assessed pairings
Any pair in the catalogue can be assessed with the compatibility checker.
Welfare considerations
Points where the way this species is commonly sold or kept differs from what it actually needs.
- Interbreeds readily with other Maylandia and with several other mbuna. A mixed tank of unrelated orange mbuna produces hybrid fry that cannot be identified afterwards and should not enter the trade.
- Sold at three or four centimetres alongside placid community fish. Nothing about the juvenile predicts the adult, and the adult will not share a general community tank.
Problems to watch for
Most problems in a tank containing this species are general rather than species-specific. Start with the troubleshooting index and work from the observation rather than from a guess at the cause.
What AquariumHQ does not yet hold
Species-level disease susceptibility is modelled in the graph and is not yet populated. Health pages will not be published until each condition has veterinary sourcing, because health content written without evidence is the most harmful thing this product could publish. The gap is recorded in the coverage report.
Where it comes from
- Native range
- Lake Malawi — Minos Reef and the north-eastern shore around Metangula
- Habitat
- The sediment-rich rocky shore, where algal turf grows on rock surfaces and the fish graze it continuously.
What the checklists say
3 distribution statements retrieved from GBIF checklists. Establishment means is reproduced from the source where it states one, and left unstated where it does not — a record of presence is not a record of origin.
| Status | Places | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced | 2 | A checklist states the species arrived here with human help. That is not a statement that it is established, harmful or illegal. |
| Recorded as present, establishment means not stated | 1 | The source records the species as present and does not say whether it is native or introduced. AquariumHQ does not fill that in. |
No checklist AquariumHQ holds positively calls this species native anywhere, so the native range above rests on AquariumHQ’s own reading of the literature rather than on a cited checklist.
Evidence
Every stored value with the kind of support behind it and where to check it. Evidence type and confidence are separate axes: an editorial position held confidently and a measurement held tentatively are different things.
| Claim | Value | Evidence type | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| scientific name | Maylandia estherae | Observed / measured | high confidence | Catalogue of Life; GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| native range | Lake Malawi — Minos Reef and the north-eastern shore around Metangula | Observed / measured | moderate confidence | GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| adult size | 10–13 cm | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| lifespan | 6–10 years | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| temperature | 24–28 °C | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| ph | 7.6–8.6 pH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| general hardness | 10–20 °dGH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank volume | ≥ 250 L | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank length | ≥ 120 cm | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| carbonate hardness | 10–18 °dKH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum group size | ≥ 5 | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
Last reviewed 2026-08-10. Values labelled as an aquarium-literature consensus are AquariumHQ editorial positions rather than measurements — see how evidence is handled.
Why we say this
What each figure on this page rests on, and how far that is from being independently established.
Every figure on this page has a provenance. Open any claim to see what AquariumHQ holds for it, which sources say what, and what a claim of that kind actually needs. Different claims need different evidence: an accepted scientific name is settled by one authority, while a legal restriction needs a current primary instrument. A single source is often the right answer rather than a thin one.
scientific nameAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: accepted scientific name and classification — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. Checked against gbif on 2026-08-29. One authoritative backbone is what this class requires.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
native rangeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: where the species occurs — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. 3 distribution statements held from GBIF checklists — introduced in 2 country. Establishment means is reproduced from the source, never inferred from occurrence.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
adult sizeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: size a well-kept specimen reaches — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
lifespanAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
temperatureAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
phAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
general hardnessAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
minimum tank volumeAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
minimum tank lengthAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
carbonate hardnessAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
minimum group sizeAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: group size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
Guides relevant to this species
Chosen from this record's own traits rather than listed on every page.
- Predator and prey sizeIt takes fish that fit in its mouth, and its mouth grows with it.
- Territorial behaviourIt defends ground, and the shape of what it defends decides the tank more than the volume does.
- Scientific and trade namesThis species has been published under more than one accepted name.
- Wild conditions and aquarium recommendationsThe water band on this page is an AquariumHQ position with a stated reason, not a measurement of a river.
- How to read a compatibility verdictThis animal is recorded as nipping fins, which is one of the few compatibility factors with real reports behind it.
Group size and social behaviour
Aggression here is distributed rather than avoided. A group large enough that no single fish receives all of a dominant male's attention works; a pair does not, because the female has nowhere for it to go but at her.