While they are "carrying", the females do not eat (or eat very little) for around 3 weeks or so! That takes a lot of discipline, i would think! These fish come from the large Rift Lakes of Africa. They are neither fresh nor salt water, but require alkyline salts to buffer the water. Baking Powder works well!
The pic is of a male. The males have "dummy" egg spots on their anal fins. When a female lays eggs, the male will shake and shimmy adjacent to her. She will mistake his fake eggs for real eggs... and when she goes to scoop them up, the male releases sperm into the water which fertilizes the eggs that are already in her mouth. They are excellent looking fish... as nice as salt water... and the Acei are rather mild mannered for African mbuna. They are also vegetarian; in nature they specialize in eating the algae that is attached to floating logs and wood!
