Eastern Hap

Remarks: The eastern hap (Astatotilapia calliptera) has been theorized to be the ancestor, or at least a contributor, to much of the evolution and variance among Lake Malawi mbuna. This has made these colorful cichlids extremely important to the study of the evolution of the fish in Lake Malawi. With further genetic studies, it will hopefully be made more concrete whether these theories are completely accurate or not. It is one of the few of these types of hap species to occur in Lake Malawi rather than Lake Victoria. The species alone has two variants, the yellow-green variants we offer, and a blue variant that occurs deeper in the Lake. Our males sport lemon-lime bodies with red fringes and subtle blue under the chin.

Scientific Name: Astatotilapia calliptera

Common Name: Eastern Hap

Max Size: 5"

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, frozen and live food

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

Tank Mate Options:

• Lethrinops sp. Mbasi
• Red Empress
• Blue Dolphin