Remarks: The Red Empress cichlid (Protomelas taeniolatus) is the perfect addition to any Peacock or Hap tank. Their bright red bodies and blue-green faces are unmatched in this part of the world. These Haps are opportunistic feeders in the wild and will happily take anything offered in captivity.

They are extremely common in Lake Malawi, and are often found in rocky habitats near the shore. Tanks should be furnished with at least some rocks to make them feel comfortable. They can reach up to 7″ in the wild, but they can grow larger than that in captivity. Despite this relatively large size, they remain docile and only assert their dominance when breeding.

Scientific Name: Protomelas taeniolatus

Common Name: Red Empress

Max Size: 8″

pH: 7.5-8.4

Hardness: Hard

Temperature: 74-82

Aggressiveness: Aggressive

Region of Origin: Lake Malawi, Africa

Captive Bred or Wild: Captive Bred

Diet: Flake or pellet

Compatibility: Victorian Haps, Malawi Haps, Malawi Peacocks, Synodontis

Tank Mate Options:

• Mdoka White Lip
• Aulonocara sp. Flavescent
• Copadichromis borleyi “Red Fin”

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