Protomelas marginatus Care Guide
Protomelas marginatus is a haplochromine cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi. It is a relatively peaceful maternal mouthbrooder for community Malawi displays.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Protomelas marginatus is a haplochromine cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi, described by Trewavas in 1935. It is a comparatively small Protomelas; dominant males show a metallic blue body with a red margin on the dorsal fin. It is among the more peaceful haps for community Malawi aquaria.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Protomelas
- Scientific name: Protomelas marginatus
- Authority: Trewavas, 1935
Habitat
FishBase records the species as endemic to Lake Malawi (roughly 12-15 degrees south), a freshwater benthopelagic fish of shallow vegetated areas. It was once recognised as two subspecies but is now treated as a single species.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 350 L
- Temperature: 24-27 °C (75-81 °F)
- pH: 7.8-8.6
- GH: 10-20 °dGH
- Maximum size: about 16.6 cm TL (FishBase)
- Substrate: sand
- Lifespan: 7-11 years
Diet
FishBase reports that Protomelas marginatus feeds primarily on algae and plant debris, with small invertebrates taken incidentally, and assigns it a low trophic level of 2.0. A diet weighted toward vegetable foods suits it in aquaria.
Compatibility
This is a peaceful, mid-water hap suited to community Malawi tanks with Aulonocara peacocks, other haps and Synodontis multipunctatus. Aggressive mbuna, Tropheus and soft-water fish such as Discus, Apistogramma and tetras are unsuitable.
Breeding
Protomelas are maternal mouthbrooders; the female incubates the eggs and fry in her mouth.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 2018).
Protomelas marginatus Breeding Guide
Overview
Protomelas marginatus (Trewavas, 1935) is a haplochromine cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi, where FishBase reports it prefers shallow, vegetated areas. It reaches about 16.6 cm TL and feeds chiefly on algae and the debris of vascular plants, with small invertebrates taken only incidentally; IUCN status is Least Concern. As a Malawi hap it is a maternal mouthbrooder. Specific published spawning observations for this species are limited, so this guide describes the Malawi-hap pattern at genus level where species data are absent.
Sexing
Mature males develop the metallic blue body and red dorsal margin typical of breeding-condition Protomelas, while females stay silvery and plainer; this color difference is the practical sexing cue in adults.
Conditioning
Given its natural intake of algae and plant matter, the species is conditioned on a diet that leans vegetable, with modest meaty supplements. Stable, hard, alkaline Malawi water and good condition prompt breeding.
Breeding Setup
Malawi haps such as Protomelas are typically bred in a spacious tank arranged as a harem of one male with several females over open sand with rockwork, which spreads male attention and reduces female harassment in this otherwise peaceful species.
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
In the Malawi-hap maternal mouthbrooding pattern, the male displays and the pair spawns over a cleaned site on the substrate; the female collects the fertilized eggs into her mouth immediately after they are laid and fertilized.
Egg & Fry Care
The female incubates the eggs and larvae in her mouth, sheltering the developing fry until they are released as free-swimming young that forage near cover. Exact incubation and brood figures for this species are not given in the consulted scientific sources and are therefore omitted.
Common Challenges
Because it is comparatively peaceful, the main considerations are providing a large enough footprint and avoiding hybridization with other blue Malawi haps, since cross-breeding among visually similar species is a recurring problem in mixed displays.