Electric blue hap

The electric blue hap is a species of cichlid fish endemic to Lake Malawi. It prefers to live in caves and crevices in rocky substrates. This species can reach a length of TL. It can occasionally be found in the aquarium trade.

In the aquarium

Although it occasionally appears in the trade, the true electric blue hap is rarely imported for aquaria; most fish sold under that common name belong to the related species Sciaenochromis fryeri. It should be kept in tanks of no less than 150 litres. A semi-aggressive fish, only one male is recommended per tank; however if large numbers are kept in a spacious enough environment, it is possible to keep more than one. Tank mates must be selected carefully. Large numbers prevent a single fish from being the target of aggression. The females are a drab grey in comparison and slightly smaller. They prefer rocky exhibits with coral sand.

Breeding

As with many other cichlids, the electric blue hap is a mouth-brooder. The recommended ratio of males to females is 1:4. The female broods for 2–3 weeks. When the fry are released, they are around 1 cm.

Etymology

The specific name of this fish honours the German zoologist Ernst Ahl who originally described this species in 1926 as Haplochromis serranoides but this name had already been used by Charles Tate Regan in 1922, although Regan's name is a synonym of Haplochromis spekii.