Ornate Hap (Protomelas ornatus)

Remarks:  The ornate hap is a rare and stunning example of a predatory hap from Lake Malawi. While juveniles and female fish are more silver or tan in color, mature, dominant males pop with vibrant color. Under the right conditions, they turn an electric blue with a yellow belly and orange accents in their fins. The exact amount of coverage and intensity for these colors depends on the locality, so it can be rather variable especially among captive populations. An interesting feature displayed by ornate haps are their large, thick lips that are reminiscent of those of the mdoka white lips (Placidochromis phenochilus "Mdoka"). These lips develop to aid the fish by forming a seal around crevices which small fish and crustaceans would hide in that the ornate hap can then suck out. Due to captive fish not feeding in this style as they simply have to snatch their food from the water column rather than actively hunting live prey, the lips on captive ornate haps rarely reach the sizes of their wild counterparts.   Like with most predator haps, the ornate hap will hunt and eat anything small enough to fit in its mouth. However, most note them to be rather mellow so long as their tankmates are the same size as them and there are no females present. Since they inhabit the shallow, rocky, intermediate areas of Lake Malawi, the ornate hap will appreciate plenty of rocks as decoration in the aquarium and will need clean, well oxygenated water to thrive. This can be achieved through additional aeration, heavy filtration, and plenty of sizable water changes. Providing a diet heavy in fish protein will also aid in keeping the ornate hap healthy and can encourage them to display their best colors. As these fish grow rather large and are active swimmers, adults should be given a large amount of space with the aquarium being at least 6 feet long. This will reduce not only aggression, but also stress resulting in less illness and conflicts as well as bring out natural behaviors.   Breeding these predator haps is fairly straight forward. Ornate haps are best bred in a species only tank with at minimum 2-3 females for every male. Feeding a well-rounded diet and providing clean, hard, alkaline water will help encourage spawning. When ready, a male will dig a pit in the sand to entice a female. After the female lays the eggs and they are fertilized, she will pick them up in her mouth to mouthbrood them until the fry hatch and are free swimming. Ornate haps with their brilliant colors and fascinating personalities make for a great breeding project or an uncommon addition to an all-male Lake Malawi cichlid community tank.