I am thinking this one is it.... but not positive until more pics....A fish with a 'chameleon' ability, the Bumblebee Mouthbrooder can quickly change color from almost black to yellow with stripes!
This attractive fish has definitely been named for its appearance. As a juvenile it has a striped yellow and black 'bumblebee' patterning, so today its commonly called the Bumblebee Mouthbrooder, but is also known as the Hornet Cichlid. The name 'hornet' as well as its scientific species name 'crabo' were derived from the European Hornet Vespa crabro, as both of these species are large sized and have a similar color patterning. Even before these two names though, and before it was scientifically described, it was called Pseudotropheus "chameleo" for its chameleon-like color changing ability.
The Bumblebee Mouthbrooder tends to change colors very rapidly, going from an almost totally black fish to a yellowish fish with bold black bars. They use this ability in their pseudo-symbiotic relationship with a large cave-dwelling catfish, the Kampango Bagrus meridionalis. In its gold and black barred coloring, the cichlid advertises its cleaning services and is safely allowed to pick parasites from the skin of the catfish. But on a darker note, when these catfish spawn the Bumblebee will turn almost black. Like a thief in the night, they sneakily eat the spawning catfish eggs. If it is seen, it will quickly revert back to the yellow and black color and resume its cleaning duties.
Though not a community tank specimen to be housed with fish other than cichlids, the Bumblebee Mouthbrooder is easy to moderate to care for. They hold their own in an aggressive tank and will eat whatever is available. They can breed easily and unlike some cichlids, the females are quite attractive. They need to be kept in a group of one male to six or more females, with rock formations providing multiple hiding places to ward off brutal aggression from the male. They can also be kept in a very large aquarium of mixed Mbuna with plenty of hiding places, but this cichlid male will be dominant. Success is dependent on the aquarists willingness to do frequent water changes, have sufficient numbers and hiding places, and provide appropriate tank mates.
The Bumblebee Mouthbrooder is in a group of cichlids called Mbunas. There are 12 genera full of very active and aggressive personalities. The Mbuna's have been bred in captivity and with all the different hybrids that have been formed, there is no way to tell exactly what you are getting unless it is from a reputable dealer. Try and keep the different species blood lines pure.
For more Information on keeping this fish see:
This attractive fish has definitely been named for its appearance. As a juvenile it has a striped yellow and black 'bumblebee' patterning, so today its commonly called the Bumblebee Mouthbrooder, but is also known as the Hornet Cichlid. The name 'hornet' as well as its scientific species name 'crabo' were derived from the European Hornet Vespa crabro, as both of these species are large sized and have a similar color patterning. Even before these two names though, and before it was scientifically described, it was called Pseudotropheus "chameleo" for its chameleon-like color changing ability.
The Bumblebee Mouthbrooder tends to change colors very rapidly, going from an almost totally black fish to a yellowish fish with bold black bars. They use this ability in their pseudo-symbiotic relationship with a large cave-dwelling catfish, the Kampango Bagrus meridionalis. In its gold and black barred coloring, the cichlid advertises its cleaning services and is safely allowed to pick parasites from the skin of the catfish. But on a darker note, when these catfish spawn the Bumblebee will turn almost black. Like a thief in the night, they sneakily eat the spawning catfish eggs. If it is seen, it will quickly revert back to the yellow and black color and resume its cleaning duties.
Though not a community tank specimen to be housed with fish other than cichlids, the Bumblebee Mouthbrooder is easy to moderate to care for. They hold their own in an aggressive tank and will eat whatever is available. They can breed easily and unlike some cichlids, the females are quite attractive. They need to be kept in a group of one male to six or more females, with rock formations providing multiple hiding places to ward off brutal aggression from the male. They can also be kept in a very large aquarium of mixed Mbuna with plenty of hiding places, but this cichlid male will be dominant. Success is dependent on the aquarists willingness to do frequent water changes, have sufficient numbers and hiding places, and provide appropriate tank mates.
The Bumblebee Mouthbrooder is in a group of cichlids called Mbunas. There are 12 genera full of very active and aggressive personalities. The Mbuna's have been bred in captivity and with all the different hybrids that have been formed, there is no way to tell exactly what you are getting unless it is from a reputable dealer. Try and keep the different species blood lines pure.
For more Information on keeping this fish see:
