If you are into aquarium fish, then you may have often seen deep water hap for sale. Deep water hap (Placidochromis electra) is a fish endemic to Lake Malawi in Africa and is quite popular among people who keep aquarium fish as pets. Deep water hap may not be the best-looking aquarium fish out there, but the best thing about these fish is that they are not aggressive. Being one of the gentle breeds makes them a great choice as pets and hence, they can be kept with fishes of other breeds as well. If you are aware of aquarium fish, you may realize that many of them look very different in the wild or are endangered in the wild. Thankfully, the deep water hap remains a fish that has a stable population in the wild as well. They are part of the cichlids species - the same species which boasts of many aquarium fishes like angelfish, discus, and more. If you are keeping them as aquarium fish, you should keep a sandy substrate to ensure that they are within a habitat that they are familiar with.If you love learning about fish, you may also want to read about gar and Arctic char.
Fun Deep Water Hap Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Invertebrates and algae
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 50 eggs
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 4-8 in (12-20.3 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Blue with black stripes
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Freshwater, Inland Waters
Locations Mozambique, Malawi, Likoma Island
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Placidochromis
Class Actinopterygii
Family Cichlidae
Deep Water Hap Interesting FactsWhat type of animal is a deep water hap?The deep water hap (Placidochromis electra) is a fish endemic to Lake Malawi in Africa.What class of animal does a deep water hap belong to?The deep water hap (Placidochromis electra) belongs to the class Actinopterygii. It is a member of the cichlids. It goes by the common name deep water hap but its scientific name is Placidochromis electra. It is unknown where their name originates from.How many deep water haps are there in the world?While there isn’t an exact number of deep water haps recorded in the world, the population of deep water haps continues to be stable. They are quite commonly found in the sites where they exist.Where does a deep water hap live?Deep water hap fish is present mostly in Lake Malawi. It is found in a wide expanse in this lake, from Chiwindi in Mozambique to Makanjila Point and Likoma Island in Malawi.What is a deep water hap’s habitat?Deep water hap fish is a freshwater fish and prefers wetlands. They love living in a depth of around 23 ft (7 m). However, they can go up to a depth of 49.2 ft (15 m).Who do deep water haps live with?Deep water haps can live with other cichlids and can also live with other species of fish. They also have a mutual relationship with larger digging cichlids like Lethrinops praeorbitalis who help them get their food.How long does a deep water hap live?The lifespan of deep water hap fish is around eight years.How do they reproduce?Deep water hap fish are maternal mouthbrooders. They tend to get a bit aggressive when they are breeding. The male fish digs spawning pits and becomes vibrant when they become sexually mature during the breeding period. During the breeding period, the female deep water hap fish collects the eggs in their mouth and fertilizes them. The incubation period of the eggs remains around two to three weeks. During this time, the female does not eat too much and tends to hide. After the incubation period, the female fish releases the fry.What is their conservation status?Deep water hap fish population is currently under the Least Concern status. The population remains stable and widespread in Lake Malawi. However, there are human threats since many of these fish are taken away from the wild due to their demand as aquarium fish.Deep Water Hap Fun FactsWhat do deep water haps look like?Deep water haps are mostly blue with dark stripes on their body. The deep water hap male looks a little different than the deep water hap female. The male tends to be a bit larger than the female and they have a dark band running across its eye. There will also be a yellow band on the dorsal fins of the male.How cute are they?When it comes to cuteness, the deep water hap may not be the cutest aquarium fish, unlike the yellow tang. Many aquarium fish have vibrant colors, but the deep water hap does not seem to have many colors on them. However, their gentle temperament makes them quite a favorable aquarium fish.How do they communicate?Deep water haps communicate like their close relative and other cichlid fishes. The deep water hap changes color to show their specific behavioral patterns by changing their color. This color change takes place due to hormones and innervation. For example, when the deep water hap (scientific name -Placidochromis electra) males reach their sexual maturity, they tend to change color to indicate that they are mature.How big is a deep water hap?The deep water hap size is about 4-8 in (12-20.3 cm). If we compare their length with that of the angelfish, one of the other kinds of cichlid fishes, then they are generally shorter. Angelfishes range around 6-8 in (15.2 - 20.3 cm) in length.How fast can a deep water hap swim?While the swimming speed of a deep water hap cichlid, belonging to the order Perciformes, has not been studied properly, a cichlid, in general, are fast swimmers and can achieve a swimming speed up to 60 mph (96.6 kph) in freshwater.How much does a deep water hap weigh?There is not much information about the weight of deep water hap. If we go by the general weight of cichlid fishes, then the deep water hap can weigh around 1.3-5.2 lb (0.6-2.4 kg).What are the male and female names of the species?There are no specific male or female names assigned to deep water hap.What would you call a baby deep water hap?A baby deep water hap, belonging to the order Perciformes, is given the common name as all fish babies - a fry.What do they eat?Generally, the diet of a deep water hap is invertebrates and algae. It is quite similar to other fishes belonging to the same order as them.Are they dangerous?The blue deep water hap temperament is quite peaceful and they have not been known to cause any disturbance even when placed with other species, just like firemouth cichlids.Would they make a good pet?Like Midas cichlids, deep water haps are a peaceful species, and hence, because of their easy compatibility, they are recommended as quality pets for aquariums. You can have several deep water hap tank mates, but it does not annoy them. However, it’s best to let them stay with the same species or species from Lake Malawi as their compatibility would best match with their Lake Malawi mates. They might get aggressive with smaller fish as tank mates. Deep water hap care would require the right temperature, the addition of basic water with the right pH levels inside the tank, and also, making sure they get the right food. The temperature should be around 72-78 F (22-25.6 C). The pH should be between 7.5-8.4. You should check the temperature and change the water regularly and continue to maintain the water quality so that the species can last for a long time. You need to be sure that their diet is getting fulfilled. For fry, the diet can be brine shrimp to ensure fast growth of the fry. As for the adult, the best food would be shrimp though they like both frozen food as well as live food. You should have sandy substrate as deep water haps tend to dig and disturb the debris causing the water to get murky. Hence, a sandy substrate becomes a must for this species. While you can keep live plants with them, they continue to dig the surface and hence, break off the plants. So, it is not recommended to keep several plants in the same aquarium. Filtration should also be strong and help in keeping the species strong and healthy. During the breeding period, they can be quite aggressive, especially the male, so you have to keep a check on them during the breeding period. You should maintain a specific quality of the water and ensure the tank mates do not annoy the breeding fish. This is because the male can be quite aggressive during the breeding period.Did you know…Deep water haps, in the wild, as opportunistic feeders. They wait for larger fishes to dig and stir up debris in front of them. When the debris is stirred, invertebrates come out, and that is when the deep water hap pounces on them. Hence, in the wild, they can be found moving from one dust cloud to the next.How long does it take deep water hap to color?When the deep water hap grows to around 3-4 in (7.6-10.2 cm), they start to show a bluish tinge on their body.Is the deep water hap endangered?The deep water hap is not endangered and can be found abundantly in Lake Malawi.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these rockfish facts and rainbow cichlid facts for kids.You can even occupy yo
What type of animal is a deep water hap?
The deep water hap (Placidochromis electra) is a fish endemic to Lake Malawi in Africa.
Fun Deep Water Hap Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Invertebrates and algae
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 50 eggs
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 4-8 in (12-20.3 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Blue with black stripes
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Freshwater, Inland Waters
Locations Mozambique, Malawi, Likoma Island
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Placidochromis
Class Actinopterygii
Family Cichlidae
Fun Deep Water Hap Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Invertebrates and algae
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 50 eggs
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 4-8 in (12-20.3 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Blue with black stripes
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Freshwater, Inland Waters
Locations Mozambique, Malawi, Likoma Island
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Placidochromis
Class Actinopterygii
Family Cichlidae
Fun Deep Water Hap Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Invertebrates and algae
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 50 eggs
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 4-8 in (12-20.3 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Blue with black stripes
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Freshwater, Inland Waters
Locations Mozambique, Malawi, Likoma Island
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Placidochromis
Class Actinopterygii
Family Cichlidae
Fun Deep Water Hap Facts For Kids
What do they prey on? Invertebrates and algae
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 50 eggs
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 4-8 in (12-20.3 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Blue with black stripes
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Freshwater, Inland Waters
Locations Mozambique, Malawi, Likoma Island
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Placidochromis
Class Actinopterygii
Family Cichlidae
What do they prey on? Invertebrates and algae
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 50 eggs
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 4-8 in (12-20.3 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Blue with black stripes
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Freshwater, Inland Waters
Locations Mozambique, Malawi, Likoma Island
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Placidochromis
Class Actinopterygii
Family Cichlidae
What do they prey on? Invertebrates and algae
What do they eat? Carnivore
Average litter size? 50 eggs
How much do they weigh? N/A
How long are they? 4-8 in (12-20.3 cm)
How tall are they? N/A
What do they look like? Blue with black stripes
Skin Type Scales
What were their main threats? Humans
What is their conservation status? Least Concern
What do they prey on?
Invertebrates and algae
What do they eat?
Carnivore
Average litter size?
50 eggs
How much do they weigh?
N/A
How long are they?
4-8 in (12-20.3 cm)
How tall are they?
What do they look like?
Blue with black stripes
Skin Type
Scales
What were their main threats?
Humans
What is their conservation status?
Least Concern
Where you’ll find them? Freshwater, Inland Waters
Locations Mozambique, Malawi, Likoma Island
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Placidochromis
Class Actinopterygii
Family Cichlidae
Where you’ll find them?
Freshwater, Inland Waters
Locations
Mozambique, Malawi, Likoma Island
Kingdom Animalia
Genus Placidochromis
Kingdom
Animalia
Genus
Placidochromis
Class Actinopterygii
Family Cichlidae
