Lake Malawi Haps??

Subject: Lake Malawi Haps?? Mon Jan 26, 2009 5:44 pm

So I am setting up a 55g Lake Malawi tank, I was going to go for Peacocks orginally, but since I bought a Ahli (mixed up in thought with a Acei)..yes I know they look nothing alike but in excitment and goofiness I got the names mixed up. Anyhow now I am rethinking the Haps. I came across one called a Lethrinops Sp "Rainbow Tanzania"..does anyone have experience with them or can you advise for or against them???

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2526

Oh yeah, in case you need to know or were wondering the tank is going to have...Iodotropehues sperengae, Cynotilapia afra , Pseudotropheus socolofi albino, and Pseudotrophues acei. Along with the 5 yellow labs and 1 Ahli I already have

Subject: Re: Lake Malawi Haps?? Mon Jan 26, 2009 9:54 pm

Interesting. Looks a lot like Lethrinops furcifer. Lethrinops sp. are sandsifters, ya'd want to have some relatively large open areas and small substrate. This would eliminate a lot of the area for rockwork for your mbuna. Also, most Lethrinops are not as aggressive as mbuna, so it may end up getting battered, even by smaller fish.

How many of each of the above are ya gonna keep, Lady G? The socolofi and afras would be the ones I'd be most concerned about if ya didn't have enough of that species to keep 'em interested in themselves, but any of the mbuna can develop a nasty streak.

WYite

_________________
One can never have too many fish tanks.

Subject: Re: Lake Malawi Haps?? Tue Jan 27, 2009 11:08 am

Most of the above I plan to have 1m/3fm. Maybe I should look into another kind then. The tank is already set up and I have quite a bit of rock work in there and was actually thinking of adding a little more. With the foot print of a 55 that really wont leave me much space....GAH how I wish I could set up my 150 Sad

I was planning just one of each of the Haps (like 3) so I already have the Ahli (not sure the exact type but he is gorgeous) that would leave me with just 2 more and that one I REALLY liked. So pretty much all the Lethrinops Sp. are sandsifters I take it..there were a couple others I was looking at

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2527

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1707

Then I found Placidochromis "electra"..
http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2281

and then the Tramitichromis Sp.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2601

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=2597

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/species.php?id=1282

I thought maybe 1 of 2 different types, the Tramitichromis "red flush" OMG...I sooooo love that one, but wonder if it's coloration is too close to my Ahli?

Subject: Re: Lake Malawi Haps?? Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:33 pm

I've never kept any of the Tramitichromis sp., that I recall. I have kept electras with mbuna without consequence. If ya like the red coloration of the Tramitichromis "red flush", how about the Red Empress morph of Protomelas taeniolatus? I can say I've kept them with mbunas as well. Has the potential to reach 9", usually 6-7" for males with females a bit smaller. Warning though, females are drab and they're hard to sex at a young age, so if ya want a single male ya'd probly have to spend a little more for a juvie that's starting to show color.

WYite

_________________
One can never have too many fish tanks.

Subject: Re: Lake Malawi Haps?? Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:45 pm

That red empress is a gorgeous fish!

Subject: Re: Lake Malawi Haps?? Tue Jan 27, 2009 4:03 pm

Oh, I dooo like the red Empress. The only thing I would worry about is the fact it is only a 55g so I was trying to stick to ones that only get like 6" or smaller.

Subject: Re: Lake Malawi Haps?? Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:28 pm

Red Empress will do fine in a 55g with other Mbuna no problem!

_________________
"There he goes - one of God's own prototypes -
a high powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production.
Too weird to live, and too rare to die".

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Subject: Re: Lake Malawi Haps?? Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:36 pm

Mostlycichlids wrote:

Red Empress will do fine in a 55g with other Mbuna no problem!

Seriously, I wouldn't have tempted ya if I thought it wouldn't work in your tank, Lady G. If I had to choose a favorite hap, it'd be the red empress or venustus. Venustus get a little large for a 55 with the community your planning, though.

WYite

_________________
One can never have too many fish tanks.

Subject: Re: Lake Malawi Haps?? Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:38 pm

Ok, I'm a little confused....is the Red Empress a Hap or a Peacock?

What if I got the Red Empress and then the Electra...would that be ok ?

Subject: Re: Lake Malawi Haps?? Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:40 pm

LOL, we were typing at the same time. Ok, it looks as though I'll be looking into a red empress!!

Subject: Re: Lake Malawi Haps?? Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:15 pm

heres a couple profile links for them, the info varies, google comes up with quite a bit

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fish/redempress.php
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_Protomelas_taeniolatus.php
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/RedEmpress.php

IMO no hap should ever be kept in a 55 for anything except growout, they need more space

Subject: Re: Lake Malawi Haps?? Wed Jan 28, 2009 10:44 am

mahemaheman85 wrote:

heres a couple profile links for them, the info varies, google comes up with quite a bit

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fish/redempress.php
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_Protomelas_taeniolatus.php
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/RedEmpress.php

IMO no hap should ever be kept in a 55 for anything except growout, they need more space

I agree with that statement with the larger Haps but the ones that stay smaller do quite fine in a 55g :2cent:

_________________
"There he goes - one of God's own prototypes -
a high powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production.
Too weird to live, and too rare to die".

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas

Subject: Re: Lake Malawi Haps?? Wed Jan 28, 2009 3:45 pm

mahemaheman85 wrote:

heres a couple profile links for them, the info varies, google comes up with quite a bit

http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/fish/redempress.php
http://www.aquahobby.com/gallery/e_Protomelas_taeniolatus.php
http://animal-world.com/encyclo/fresh/cichlid/RedEmpress.php

IMO no hap should ever be kept in a 55 for anything except growout, they need more space

I'll agree with that for the larger species, and I'll agree with it if the intention is to keep more than one individual of any of the smaller species in one tank. As a single specimen in a community tank where intraspecific aggression will be non-existent, however, a 55 gallon is suitable for the smaller species. And the way I read Lady G's post, I believe that will be the case.

WYite

_________________
One can never have too many fish tanks.

Subject: Re: Lake Malawi Haps?? Wed Jan 28, 2009 7:23 pm

You are correct...I plan on 1 of three different species, so it would be 3 Haps in all (each from a different species) of the smaller types and each a different coloration Wink