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Cichlids
/ Africa / Lake Malawi / Electric Blue Haplo
Electric Blue Haplo
Sciaenochromis ahli | Pictures
Synonyms: Cyrtocara
ahli, Haplochromis ahli, Haplochromis jacksoni
Physical description:
An elongated fish with a large mouth.
The head forms a 60 degree angle from the mouth.
Males
have a stunning blue color which is comparable to the hues of saltwater fish.
Six faint bars are sometimes apparent.
The
fins are the same color as the rest of the body.
The females are usually brown-gray with a few blue-tipped scales around
the mid-section.
Six bars are sometimes visible.
The fins are also brown-gray in color.
Size/Length: Males to 6.3" (16 cm), females to 4.3" (11 cm)
Similar species: Red-top Aristochromis or Gold-stripe Haplo (
Otopharynx lithobates), Yellow Nape Haplo
(Copadichromis chrysonotus
)
Habitat: Eastern Africa; found in between rocky and sandy zones, Lake Malawi.
S: bottom, middle
Aquarium: 56" (142 cm) or 75-100 gallons (285-378 L).
These fish need a large open swimming
area.
Use sturdy, rock structures with large passages and caves.
A sand substrate with a scattering of
rocks is recommended.
Water chemistry: 7.8-8.5 (8.1), 12-20 dH (16), 75-82°F (24-28°C)
Social behavior: A predatory species that will eat small fish.
Otherwise the Electric Blue Haplo is
a peaceful, but territorial fish.
Males are polygamous, so they should be kept with a number of females.
Suggested companions: Lake Malawi Haplochromines,
Synodontis, mbunas,
Polypterus, Afromastacembelus.
FOOD: Live; crustaceans, small fish, aquatic insects, insect larvae; tablets; pellets.
Sexual differences: Males have the deep "electric blue" color for which this species is named.
The
females are considerably smaller with a dull gray-brown body coloration.
Breeding techniques: Place a male with three or four females in a large tank.
Use water with a pH between 8.0-8.5,
a water hardness from 15-18 dH, and a temperature of 81-84°F (27-29°C).
The male will attract the female by
shaking his brilliant blue body.
The eggs are incubated by the female for a period of 18-22 days.
Remove the other fish from the tank.
The
mother will continue her care of the fry for another week.
The young can be raised on
Artemia and
Daphnia.
Breeding potential: 8.
Breeding is difficult.
Remarks: Another color morph is known; it has an obvious white spot on its head.
Frequent
partial water changes are necessary to keep the fish in good health and to bring out the male's stunning colors.
This
species is especially sensitive to water pollutants.
Difficulty of care: 6.
The Electric Blue Haplo is a beautiful, but sensitive fish.
Many feel that it is worth the extra
care for its stunning color.
Recent articles about fish
Overfishing may hurt Amazon forest trees
(2/5/2008) Overfishing is reducing the effectiveness of seed dispersal by fish in the Brazilian Pantanal, reports Nature. The research suggests that fishing practices can affect forest health.
Scientists find fish that literally lives in trees
(10/17/2007) Scientists have found a fish that literally lives in trees, according to research published in The American Naturalist and highlighted in New Scientist Magazine.
Piranhas originated when Amazon was flooded by seawater
(12/4/2007) South America's piranha family of fish -- notorious as eaters of flesh -- can be traced back to a single ancestor which dispersed when the Amazon was flooded by seawater some five million years ago, report researchers from the Institut de Recherche Pour le Developpement (IRD). Today piranhas are exclusively freshwater fish found from the Orinoco River basin in Venezuela to the Parana in Argentina.
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