Red fin hap
Copadichromis borleyi
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 77–84°F (25–29°C)
- pH
- 7.5–8.5
- Adult size
- 7.9 in (20 cm)
- Minimum tank
- 79 gal (300 L)
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Middle
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Origin
- Lake Malawi
- Family
- Cichlidae
Overview
They are fairly peaceful for a Malawi cichlid but get territorial when breeding, so give them space and keep a group with enough females. They hold the middle of the tank and want open swimming room backed by rockwork. In the wild they pick plankton from the water, so feed a quality cichlid pellet with some vegetable matter and occasional frozen food. Hard alkaline water and good filtration keep them healthy.
In the wild
Red fin haps live in Lake Malawi in East Africa, around rocky shorelines and the open sand near them. The lake water is hard, alkaline, and very stable, so your tank should match it. Use a high pH from 7.5 to 8.5 and warm temps in the mid to high 20s C. Give them a big footprint with rock piles for cover and plenty of open water to cruise. A 300 liter tank is a sensible minimum.
Good to know
This is a cichlid in the family Cichlidae from the open-water hap group of Malawi. Adults reach around 20 cm, with males showing strong blue and red color and females staying plainer. It is a maternal mouthbrooder, the female holding eggs and fry in her mouth until they can swim on their own. Wild populations are currently considered stable.
Did you know
Males clear out a small spawning spot and put on a strong color and movement display to draw females in. The common name covers a cluster of regional color forms from different parts of the lake, so fish sold under the same name can look noticeably different depending on where the wild stock came from.
Where to buy
Some links may not be the exact species or variety.
- LiveAquaria Freshwater and saltwater fish, inverts and corals
- Imperial Tropicals Freshwater fish and inverts bred at a Florida hatchery
…or ask your local fish store.
Appears in
Keeping Red fin hap?
Track water tests, reminders and stocking fit.
Related species
Azureus
Copadichromis azureus5.9 in (15 cm)79 gal (300 L)77–82°F (25–28°C)
Blood Parrot Cichlid
A. citrinellus x V. synspilum7.9 in (20 cm)32 gal (120 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Featherfin cichlid
Cyathopharynx furcifer7.9 in (20 cm)119 gal (450 L)75–81°F (24–27°C)
Red empress cichlid
Protomelas taeniolatus7.9 in (20 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Threadfin acara
Acarichthys heckelii7.9 in (20 cm)53 gal (200 L)75–86°F (24–30°C)
Alluaud's haplo
Astatoreochromis alluaudi7.5 in (19 cm)55 gal (210 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)