Metriaclima estherae
KONINGS, 1995

	Photo © Michael Persson
Metriaclima estherae, female.

Trade names and synonyms
Red zebra, Pseudotropheus estherae, Maylandia estherae.

Size
Can reach a length of approximately 12 cm (11.5-12 in.).

Food
Shrimpmix.

Aquarium
Should be at least 300 litres arranged with plenty of caves for the females to hide in.

Habitat

Breeding
It is easy to spawn, like mbunas in common, it's best to have 3-5 females per male.

General
Metriaclima estherae is a classic malawi cichlid, wich is a very common inhabitant in malawitanks.
Males occur in two colourations, the most common one is light-blue and the other one is pink-orange coloured.
The common female is orange/red but also occurs as O/B-morph (orange blotch).
The difference in colour between the sexes appears allready when the female had let the frys out after brooding.
This cichlid is perfect for beginners, quiet, peaceful and relatvely modest.
If they get a well composed shrimpmix the females will get a nice orange colour which almost passes to red during spawning.
It is named after the cichlid exporter Stuart Grant's whife Esther.

Distribution
It is found in the Moçambique-part of the lake, for example at Minos reef, Nkhungu reef, Chilucha reef and Masinje.
The most colourful variant occurs around Minos Reef.

	Photo © Michael Persson
Metriaclima estherae, orange male.

	Photo © Michael Persson
Metriaclima estherae, blue male.

	Photo © Michael Persson
Metriaclima estherae