Above: In this picture a mature premium quality Male Lake Malawi Taiwan Reef Hap is swimming in one of our aquariums, when one of us snapped this picture.

But the item for sale here is an immature fish of unknown gender that is silver and gray.

Comments: These are fabulous fish, and the males mature to have vivid colors.

Origin: The ancestors of Taiwan Reef Haps lived only in Lake Malawi in East Africa.

But now they live in aquariums all over the world. There are often a some other Hap species for sale in this store.

All the Malawi Haps are said to live away from the piles of huge rocks in Lake Malawi, where the more aggressive Mbunas live.

Maximum Size: In aquariums, males are said to grow to be about 8" long, but so far we haven't seen one bigger than about 6.5" long, including their tails, which is a very nice size for aquariums.

Females are smaller and remain gray and silver without the brilliant colors shown by males.

Behaviors: All Haps are usually rather aggressive fish, but not as aggressive as the Mbunas that also originated in Lake Malawi.

Compatibility: Some recommended tank mates include, Malawi Peacocks, mild tempered Mbunas like the Lemon Yellow Mbuna, and Synodontis Catfish, but probably not Cichlids from Lake Tanganyika.

Click here for more about Synodontis Catfish.

Click here to read more about compatible groups of pet fish.

Temperature: Taiwan Reef Haps live best from about 75 to 80-degrees F. with 78 being perhaps ideal.

Click here to learn about aquarium temperature, aquarium thermometers, and aquarium heaters.

Feeding: Premium Fish Food Pellets is the best food for Cichlids to eat. It's best to feed them small pellets, when they're small, then gradually increase the size, as they grow bigger.

Click here to learn more about and shop online for premium fish foods.

Water Conditions: Lake Malawi has hard alkaline water and that's best for all the fish, who's ancestors lived there.

But these fish can adapt to most types of water, and so as usual it's best not to try to change the pH or alkalinity.

Click here for a lot more information about aquarium water conditions.

Aquarium Size: Taiwan Reef Haps will eventually need to live in an aquarium with at least 80-gallons of water.

Each Hap will need at least 5-gallons of water, and this species lives best in an aquarium with at least 12 other compatible Cichlids of about the same size.

Decor: Taiwan Reef Haps do not need gravel, and a layer of gravel more than 1/4" thick will usually fill with bits of uneaten food that will contaminate the water.

Click here for more about aquarium gravel.

Live plants are beautiful and improve the water quality, but this fish will usually dig plants up, so most aquariums with Haps do not have live plants.

They like medium size gravel about the size of rice mixed with a few aquarium-safe rocks.

Aquarium Filter: Bio-Wheel Filters are highly recommended. Most 80-gallon aquariums have room along the back for at least two Penguin 350B Filters, and this is sort of the minimum set up for these Haps.

Better is a 120, 150, or 200-gallon aquarium with as many Penguin 350B Filters as will fit across the back.

Click here to learn more about aquarium filters.

The addition of Lava Rocks will keep nitrates in the ideal range. Click here to learn more about using Lava Rocks in aquariums.

Life Span: Taiwan Reef Haps can live for several years. Keep the water conditions excellent and feed them premium foods, and they'll most likely breed and produce the next generation of fish for your aquarium.

Gender: It's difficult to tell males from females, when they're very small, but easy when they are mature, because the males change from grey to become brightly colored, while the females stay gray.

Breeding: Taiwan Reef Haps are mouthbrooders. A female lays eggs, a male fertilizes the eggs, and the female picks up the eggs in her mouth.

She'll brood them for about 3-weeks, then release them in the aquarium. They are miniture versions of their mother and very cute!

Click here to read more about breeding mouthbrooders. the aquarium.

Click here for a lot more about breeding various tropical fish in aquariums.

Popularity: Since maybe the 1980s the Taiwan Reef Hap from Lake Malawi has been a very popular aquarium fish. The males are one of the most beautiful freshwater fish in the world.

Names: Their scientific name is Protomelas sp. "Taiwan Reef Hap".

Variations: There are no variations of this species that are known to us. But Lake Malawi is huge and so there might be variations.

Click here for a lot more information about keeping and caring for Taiwan Reef Haps, including a picture gallery.

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