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Happy (Mylochromis guentheri) — Cichlidae

Happy

Mylochromis guentheri
Family: Cichlidae
LC · Least Concern

The Happy (Mylochromis guentheri) is a freshwater fish of the family Cichlidae that grows up to 20 cm.

Length
20 cm
Water
Freshwater
Diet
Carnivore
Behaviour
Solitary
Activity
Diurnal
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom
Danger
Harmless
Edibility
Not eaten

Description

Guenther's Mylochromis is a cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi in East Africa. The species grows to about 20 cm and has an elongate body with a diagonal dark stripe; males colour up bluish in breeding dress. As a dweller of the sandy transition zone it searches for small invertebrates, snails and worms. It is a mouthbrooder: the female carries the eggs and young in her mouth. The fish appears in the aquarium hobby. The IUCN assesses the species as Least Concern (LC).

Frequently asked questions

How do you recognise the Happy?

The Happy has a torpedo-shaped body, is mainly blue and shows a plain pattern.

Where does the Happy live?

The Happy lives in fresh water and is mostly found around sand or mud bottom.

How big does the Happy get?

The Happy grows to a maximum of about 20 cm.

Is the Happy dangerous to humans?

No, the Happy is harmless to humans.

Is the Happy edible?

The Happy is not usually eaten.

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All data

Identification

Dutch name
Guenthers Mylochromis verified
English name
Happy verified
Scientific name
Mylochromis guentheri
Family
Cichlidae

Appearance

Size class
Medium verified
Max length (cm)
20.0 verified
Body shape
Torpedo-shaped sourced
Dominant colour
Blue inferred
Pattern
Plain sourced
Tail shape
Rounded inferred
Mouth position
Terminal sourced
Lips
Thick / fleshy sourced
Barbels
No sourced
Dorsal fins
One continuous sourced
Dorsal spines
No sourced

Habitat & distribution

Water type
Freshwater sourced
Substrate
Sand / mud bottom sourced
Origin
Native verified

Behaviour & biology

Diet
Carnivore sourced
Social behaviour
Solitary sourced
Territorial
No sourced
Activity
Diurnal sourced
Reproduction
Separate sexes sourced
Sexual dimorphism
Yes sourced

For anglers

Edibility
Not eaten sourced
Fishing method
Bodemvissen met natuurlijk aas (worm, garnaal of vis) op of vlak boven de bodem. inferred
Regulations source
FishBase ↗ inferred

Safety

Danger to humans
Harmless sourced

Status & sources

Sources
FishBase via GBIF (DwC-A), CC-BY-NC 4.0

Same genus Mylochromis

More from the family Cichlidae

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