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Protomelas Sp. "mbenji Thick Lip"

Malawi Hap Fish Cichlid Lake Nysa Protomelas

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#1 Malawi Freak

Malawi Freak
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  • Joined: 03-June 13
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Posted 10 June 2013 - 07:35 PM

Protomelas sp. "mbenji thick lip"

 

 

Pictures

 

proto_spmbenjithicklip_m_01.jpg

Male

 

HPIM0062.jpg

Pair

 

 

Description

 

 

In the wild:
Protomelas sp. "mbenji thick lip" is very easy to recognize with its big lips and the dark blue base color. Its provisional name says much good about cichlid, as it has big lips and is endemic to Mbenji Island. You see them most often near rocks, but sometimes also in the transition zone of 5-30 meters. Their diet consists of invertebrates and small fish as they get up from aufwuchsen on the rocks. It is therefor their big lips are beneficial. You rarely see the adult males in the wild, as they are often hiding in large caves, but females and cubs swimming freely in a large number at Mbenji Island.
 
In the aquarium:
The aquarium should be arranged with some large caves that fits well with male size. You will experience the females very rarely seeks out the caves, as they are very free-swimming. You can not keep them in pairs, unless you have a very good composition in the aquarium besides "mbenji thick lip", so like 2-3 females to males. It will also be an advantage with lots of sand in the aquarium as the male usually use the advantage of this during mating. He finds a large cave where he usually prefer a sandy bottom.
 
One should not keep them with too peaceful cichlids, as they can think of take control in the aquarium. But it is not a tremendously aggressive cichlid, so the do best with medium-aggressive species. It requires a lot of swimming space, but you can keep them down to 530L, however, larger often is more beneficial.
 
it is only wild caught fish that have big lips. Offspring of these will not get the lips as they won't be looking for food among the rocks all the time, which is giving the swollen lips.
 

A little history:

Protomelas sp. "mbenji thick lip" is a very beautiful fish, but it is unfortunately not often see on the market. But there is a small group of hobbyists who keep cichlid home, so it is possible to get hold of it. It should be a pretty impressive sight when an adult he opens his mouth full open, for it has a fairly large jaw and large lips. . Its trade name is Haplochromis labrosus (Mbenji).

 


Breeding Behaviour:

The males hold a territory in a relatively large cave where the female is lured into in. The female is a mouthbrooder and is quite caring towards her brood. She takes care of them a little time before the kids are set free on their own. When she swims with her mouth full, it is not certain she always hide. They can get pretty large numbers of offspring, but is not always easy to get to breed in aquarium conditions, but it is possible to do it.

 

 

 

Number of offspring
50-60

 

 

Info
Type
Cichlider, Malawi - Hap

Trade Name
Haplochromis labrosus (Mbenji)

Described
Trewavas, 1935
 
Looks
Colours
Males have a dark blue base color with a yellow belly. Most of the anal fin and the tip of his tail and dorsal fin is also yellow. The male's big lips have the same dark blue color as the body. The females have the little traditional Protomelas colors. They are bright / sand colored with broad, irregular, vertical black stripes. They have no color in either the body or fins.

 

 


Size Male
26

Size Female
22
Best Conditions 

 

Min. temp
23°C

Max. temp
28°C

 


Min. pH
7.6

Max. pH
8.5

Min. aquarium
530L 

Holding!;
Best as Trio (1 male, 2 female)  or with More Females than Males
 
Food
Food:
  • Artemia
  • Cichlidsticks
  • Daphnier
  • Flakes
  • Schrimpmix
  • Spirulina
 
 

Edited by Malawi Freak, 10 June 2013 - 07:39 PM.






Also tagged with one or more of these keywords: Malawi, Hap, Fish, Cichlid, Lake, Nysa, Protomelas

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