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No federal permit to keep

Spindle hap

Protomelas taeniolatus

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Protomelas taeniolatus (often sold under various trade names: Haplochromis red empress, red empress or spindle hap) is a Haplochromine cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

Spindle hap — Photo: Photo by and (c)2004 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

Photo: Photo by and (c)2004 Derek Ramsey (Ram-Man), CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 7.9 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 4.4 in / 11.3 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 75–79°F (range recorded for this species).
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Diet: Eats a varied diet: mix quality prepared foods with frozen and live foods. FishBase classes it as a herbivore.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Tank: a base of at least 47 × 18 in (roughly 54 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
Water: hard, alkaline water, 75–82 °F, pH 7.6–8.8, 10–25 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament peaceful.
Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Use piles of rocks to form lots of caves and hiding places with areas of open space for swimming between.”
Diet: “It feeds mainly on algae and other microrganisms in nature and requires a high fibre diet in the aquarium.”
Tankmates: “A peaceful species but it is more robust than others in the genus and can even be kept with mbuna.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Lake Malawi peacocks and haps

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Open water and sand of Lake Malawi. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Hard, alkaline water (pH 7.8–8.6), a long tank (5 ft+ for larger haps) with open sand and some rock.
Generally less aggressive than mbuna; males color up best with several females.

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Climate & lighting

Water

76–82°F

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Diet

For Aulonocara stuartgranti, use small prepared foods with some vegetable content and varied small live/frozen invertebrates. Match other haps to their own feeding ecology.

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Health watch

Do not diagnose bloat from a label such as “mbuna-style food”; Aulonocara stuartgranti diets can include vegetable foods. Match food and tankmates to the species.

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Understanding the animal

About this animal

The fish is popular in the aquarium hobby due to the bright rainbow-like colors of adult males and its relatively peaceful temperament. Juvenile and female P. taeniolatus, like many Haplochromines, do not display bright coloration.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Protomelas taeniolatus” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. Inhabits shallow, rocky sediment-free habitat. Feeds on 'aufwuchs' attached to rocks, but also takes small invertebrates, including zooplankton when this is abundant.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 75–79 °F (24–26 °C).
Climate	Tropical climate.
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: clutch tenders.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 75–79 °F.

FishBase species summary: Protomelas taeniolatus

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 86°F (up to 89°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 61°F (down to 56°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	71–75°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	67–70% on average (driest month about 56%)
Rainfall	about 1189 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons

Measured at 10 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	Protomelas taeniolatus (often sold under various trade names: Haplochromis red empress, red empress or spindle hap) is a Haplochromine cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi in Eastern Africa. The fish is popular in the aquarium hobby due to the bright rainbow-like colors of adult males and its relatively peaceful temperament. Juvenile and female P. taeniolatus, like many Haplochromines, do not display bright coloration. The red empress is endemic to Lake Malawi and occurs in sediment free, rocky habitats in relatively shallow waters. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Reproduction	Parents practice co-operative care of young by grouping together and setting up protective stations close to one another; releasing their young and embarking upon parental care. Every protective mantle is very close to the next in such a way that young can move from one parent to the next. — FishBase
Biology	Inhabits shallow, rocky sediment-free habitat. Feeds on 'aufwuchs' attached to rocks, but also takes small invertebrates, including zooplankton when this is abundant. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources6.2in

FishBase 1644.4

Seriously Fish species profiles 1677.9

Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources75–80.5°F

FishBase 16475–79

Seriously Fish species profiles 16775–82

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Reported7.6–8.8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1677.6–8.8

Water hardness

Reported10–25dGH

Seriously Fish species profiles 16710–25

Minimum tank footprint

Reported47in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16747

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 18 in (about 54 US gallons).

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial; AquariumFishII=based mainly on breeding)
10 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Seriously Fish — Aulonocara stuartgranti Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.