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Protomelas taeniolatus
| Scientific Name: Protomela taeniolatus |
| Common Name: Tangerine Tiger Hap |
| Origin: Confined to Lake Malawi, Africa. Mostly found near rocky shores. |
| Water Conditions: As with most Malawi cichlids, the Tangerine Tiger need medium to slightly hard water with a temperature of between 75 and 80F, and a pH of between 7.5 and 8.5. Frequent water changes are a must, about 30% to 40% every seven to ten days is ideal. |
| Diet: The Tangerine Tiger will eat a variety of cichlid pellets and flakes. A meaty diet is recommended, brine shrimp and bloodworms tend to be a good source. |
| Mature Size: Males get up to 8 inches ( cm). Females get up to 6.5 inches ( cm). |
| Sexual Dimorphism: The females will look just as they do when they are juveniles, remaining a silvery color with prominent vertical stripes down the side. Sub-dominant males will look more like females to avoid dominant male aggression, however they do tend to show a bit more color than the females. |
| Breeding: When it comes to breeding its not the size that matters, its the age. The Tangerine Tiger should start showing breeding behavior at about seven to eight months old, and should be fully capable at about ten to twelve months old. They are polygamous harem breeders and should be kept in groups consisting of one male and two to four females. They are mouthbrooders and usually yield between twenty-five and thirty fry per brood. The female will carry the fry for about 24 days, usually without eating. The female will continue to care for the fry several days after their initial release. The mothers presence is not essential to their survival, and can be separated from them as soon as they are released. |
| General Description: The Tangerine Tiger are not overly aggressive, but sometimes have a tendency to become quite territorial. The dominant fish can begin to show it’s colors as early as seven months of age, but can take much longer depending on it’s living conditions. As long as they are maintained under optimal conditions, allowing the males to hold territory from which they can display actively to potential spawning partners, the Tangerine Tiger will live and breed quite well. |
| Suitable Tankmates: The Tangerine Tiger can be kept with a variety of Aulonocara and Haplochromis without to many problems. If you plan to have males and females, try to avoid mixing them with similar looking fish, make sure the male breeding dress of the species you house the Tangerine Tiger with does not look similar to the Tangerine Tiger breeding dress, other males will compete for the females even though they are a different species. |
| Other Species In Genus: |
| Personal Note: The Tangerine Tiger grow to be very colorful and are a great addition to any suitable tank. They are relatively calm and fairly easy to maintain. |
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