Red Empress Cichlid

By H. Blair Howell

© H. Blair Howell, Click Here to enlarge 92k.

Common Name: Red Empress

Latin: Protomelas taeniolatus

Origin: Lake Malawi

Temperature: 75 - 82

Ease Of Keeping: Moderate

Agressivness: This large Hap. can be very aggressive. At spawning time it can become even worse

Size: 5 - 8 inches

Tank Size: 55 gallon min. preferable 75 or above

Food: Feed a good quality flake or pellet.

Spawning: The Red Empress is a maternal mouth brooder

Comments: The red empress male is a truely striking fish with a red body and various shades of blue on his face. Due to this large fishes aggressive attitude towards other of it's kind it is not sugested that you keep more than one male in a tank. 1 male to 3 - 4 females is a good mix which will allow the males aggression to be spread out thus preventing all of his aggression from being directed at one or to fish.