The incredible behaviour is known as mouthbrooding. It’s where one of the parents looks after the eggs in their mouth until they hatch.
By protecting them in this way, mouthbrooding fish are able to produce smaller numbers of offspring but with a higher chance of survival than species that don’t offer this care.
In the wild Barombi ciclids live in just one lake – Lake Barombi Mbo – in southwest Cameroon but they are sadly seriously threatened by pollution. Indeed they are classed as critically endangered, meaning they face the very real prospect of extinction.
Our aquarium is one of the only places in the UK where you can see and learn about this fantastic species.