Blue Dolphin (Moorii) (Cyrtocara moorii)
Country of Origin: 🇺🇸USA
General Background
Originating from Lake Malawi and the greater African rift lake area, the Blue Dolphin (Moorii) is one of the more visually striking fish to keep as pets. Their scales and fins are a bright, vibrant blue, highlighting their unusual body shape, protruding faces, and bulbous foreheads. The Blue Dolphin’s strange appearance is generally uniform between males and females; however, there are cases where the male’s scales are slightly brighter than the female’s.
The Blue Dolphin is one of the larger species of Cichlid fish that come from Lake Malawi, growing up to 9 inches in length with proper care. Of course, their size requires a more expansive environment for them to swim in (especially if you plan on having several Blue Dolphins). Generally, it’s recommended that they reside in a tank that can hold around 75 gallons.
As for the decor of their environment, sand and rocks work better than aquatic plants since the Blue Dolphin (Moorii) can dig or eat them up.
If the tank is set up correctly, the Blue Dolphin proves to be a relatively low-maintenance fish. With proper care and accommodations, this species of Cichlid can live for up to 10 years.
Tankmates
Blue Dolphins (Moorii) are mostly peaceful, with only mild aggression shown towards males of the same species. However, that hostility is curbed when the Blue Dolphin’s inclination towards polygamy is catered to, so putting more females than males in one tank (two females for one male) is preferable to the other way around.
If you’d like to occupy your aquarium with an assortment of fish, make sure you fill it with species of a similar size. Blue Dolphins aren’t a community species, so any fish smaller than them will be seen as food, while their docile natures can lead them to be bullied by bigger ones.
Feeds
Blue Dolphins are carnivores and therefore require a lot of protein to function. Frozen or live food like bloodworms is ideal, but they can handle pellets or flakes formulated for their palate.
FAQ
How do Blue Dolphin Mooriis breed?
Female Blue Dolphins lay eggs (between 20 and 50) on a flat surface and wait for a male to fertilize them. Then, since Blue Dolphin Moorii is a “mouth breeder” species, the female will incubate the fertilized eggs in her mouth until they’re ready to hatch.
What diseases can Blue Dolphins contract?
Blue Dolphins are susceptible to all typical fish illnesses (such as Ich) if they’re left in poor quality water.
Stats:
Scientific Name: Cyrtocara moorii
Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa
Size: 6+"
Diet: Omnivore
Breeding: Mouthbrooder
Temperament: Aggressive
DOA Policy
While this is a rare occurrence, it can and will happen from time to time. Fish are live animals and we cannot ensure that every one will arrive alive or remain alive. We do ask that if your fish arrives dead (DOA), submit a picture of the deceased fish that is in the bag within 2 hours of the delivery time of your fish. We will work quickly with you to resolve the problem.
We will offer replacement fish for any losses, but do not offer refunds at this time. We can replace fish but shipping costs is the responsibilityof the buyer. If you put the fish in your tank and it dies or is not acting properly, please contact us, with pictures,within 24 hours. We will again, do everything in our power to resolve the issue and ensure that you have a great experience with these fish.
Shipping Policy
Most Shipments will be UPS Next Day Air unless otherwise noted. Processing fish for your order can take up to 2 business days. This is to ensure your fish and healthy, happy, and ready to be put in your tank when it arrives. We ship fish on Mondays- Wednesday (excluding holidays) to ensure fish arrive before weekends. This allows us to completely prepare the fish for shipping and ensure they are healthy prior to arrive at your door. All fish will be shipped with oxygenated water and specific additives in the water to ensure they maintain their health and stability during shipment. Depending on the species of fish and current weather conditions, the fish may arrive with a heat pack or ice pack to maintain the optimal temperature which further ensures the health and safety of your fish. All costs of shipping (postage, packaging,heat/ice packs, etc.) are included in the Shipping fee. We ship to only the continental United States.
FAQ
"The fish I received do not look like the fish in thepicture. Why is this?"
- We typically take photographs of one or two fish when we initially get them in. Since we have a large quantity of most of the various species of fish, it would be understandably impossible to provide a picture ofevery individual fish with a specific species. For some of our more rare orlarger fish, the picture listed may be the actual fish that you are receiving.If this is the case, it will be designated by ?WYSIWYG?, meaning ?what you see,is what you get?.
"What happens if my fish arrive dead?"
- While this is a rare occurrence, it can and willhappen from time to time. Fish are live animals and we cannot ensure that everyone will arrive alive or remain alive. We do ask that if your fisharrives dead (DOA), submit a picture of the deceased fish that is in the bag.We will work quickly with you to resolve the problem. We will offer replacement fish for any losses, but do not offer refunds at this time. We will reship any replacement fish at the buyer's expense. If you put the fish in your tank and it dies or is not acting properly, please contact us, with pictures, within 24 hours. We will again, do everything in our power to resolvethe issue and ensure that you have a great experience with these fish.
"What if I'm not home when the fish arrive?"
- We will always provide you with a tracking number. While the fish are packaged to survive about 72+ hours within the shipping containers, we do ask that you make arrangements to arrive home to inspect your fish as soon as possible after they are delivered to your home. Itis always suggested to provide an area for the delivery person to place the boxthat is out of direct sunlight or extreme temperatures.
"What do I do with my fish once I've unpacked them?"
- Like you would with any new fish, let the entire bag float in your tank for 15-30 minutes. This allows the temperature withinthe bag to adjust to the same as your tank and will reduce temperature shock onthe fish. After this time, you can add all of the fish and water that is in thebag into your tank. The products used within the water for shipping will notharm any existing fish within your tank and actually makes the transition foryour new fish a bit easier. After this, expect your new fish to take a few daysto become fully adjusted, this includes hiding, floating at the top, sinking tothe bottom, and not eating. After a few days, your new fish should be acting aswimming like they normally would. At this point, enjoy your aquarium!
"I want to return my new fish because x,y,z?"
- Unfortunately, we are unable to accept returns.We do recommend contacting us via email with yourorder number and as much information as possible. We will try to assist you inresolving whatever the issue may be.