Hap 44

[farmsmitty]

I just wanted to say, I got my first Hap44 male and I absolute love it!!! The colours on this fish are astonishing. I just had to share that because I'm so happy.

[NotoriousSway]

I have one too! What are you keeping him with?

[farmsmitty]

2 N.Leleupi
1 Yellow Lab
1 Kenyi
1 Male Convict
2 fem. Hap 44
2 Hap Nubilus (m/f)
2 Mainganos
2 plecos

[NotoriousSway]

OK, I had mine in a peacock/hap tank and he was way too aggressive, so I moved him to my dwarf mbuna tank and now he is doing fine.

[farmsmitty]

I just upgraded from a 50 gal to 120 gal and everyone seems to be getting along okay. I used to have a convict pair that ruled the tank and had babies constantly (one WHOLE batch even survived), but I had an accident in my tank while I was gone and lost the female and all the babies I hadn't managed to find homes for. I think I'll leave my male a bachelor, he's much less aggressive (even though I loved my convicts, great colour and lots of personality).

I'm really thrilled with my new tank.

[Pittbull]

take a photo of the 44 in the tank..

[farmsmitty]

I wish i had a better camera, but here it is...

[Pharaoh]

Looks pretty good. Nice colors and teh barring is shooking nice. Just wait until he decides to start breeding. He'll get even better.

[greenearthlawns]

awesome! where did you get him? do you have pics of your female hap 44??

[farmsmitty]

I just got him at a lfs. His colours have been brilliant since I brought him home though. Here is a pic of the smaller female (he came with 2).

[greenearthlawns]

I just got him at a lfs. His colours have been brilliant since I brought him home though. Here is a pic of the smaller female (he came with 2).


You are so lucky what a good deal! r you planning to breed them and sell some fry?? wink wink I would love to get some females!!!

[le patron]

.

[farmsmitty]

I always hope that my fish will breed, it's an exciting time. I had convicts that bred all the time, but as usual, the fry usually got eaten. But the last time all 80 lived, and I had such a hard time finding homes or stores for them, then my tank went ugly, it was a mess. I ended up losing my female, so I think I'll leave my male as a bachelor, he's much calmer now and the tank is much happier.

[Pittbull]

nice fish man i hope they breed for you..

[farmsmitty]

Does anyone know how old they are when they breed? These guys I posted are still very small....my male about 2" and my 1 female 2", other 1.5".

[greenearthlawns]

I have found that although the "flirthing" starts when the males are about 2.5, they usually dont breed until the male is at least 4 in and female about 3 or so. Thats how it's been w my fish anyways...

[farmsmitty]

Are Hap 44's mouth brooders? Does anyone know?

[greenearthlawns]

Are Hap 44's mouth brooders? Does anyone know?


absolutely are!!

[freshwaterfishing]

Very nice looking ;)

[farmsmitty]

Well, then I think one of mine are brooding. Under the mouth of one of my females looks full and slightly coloured. Plus she's not opening her mouth. My new hap44 is a real stud!!!

[greenearthlawns]

Well, then I think one of mine are brooding. Under the mouth of one of my females looks full and slightly coloured. Plus she's not opening her mouth. My new hap44 is a real stud!!!


Congrats so soon thats great! I hope she carries them out, I think it is 21 days usually but it varies slightly on different species... do you have a tank to put her in to release the fry so they don't get eaten... you need to send me some females...:naughty: too bad your in a defferent country! but at least it's the same continent lol

[Red Devil]

You are so lucky what a good deal! r you planning to breed them and sell some fry?? wink wink I would love to get some females!!!
wink wink me too... lol

[greenearthlawns]

wink wink me too... lol


I know I was wondering if you saw this thread... how jealous are we:drool: lol

[Red Devil]

Well, then I think one of mine are brooding. Under the mouth of one of my females looks full and slightly coloured. Plus she's not opening her mouth. My new hap44 is a real stud!!!
get some pics up when you can so we can see her... beautiful new fish.. one of my favorites.. i have three males.... :D

[farmsmitty]

I had better luck taking a picture of the smaller female. This one is flighty. (probably because she was being chased by my male!!!)

I don't have a smaller tank to keep them in when they hatch....I do have a lot of spots they can take shelter in...but as for the other tank, I'm still working on that one. My husband is just getting used to the 120 gal.

[Red Devil]

I had better luck taking a picture of the smaller female. This one is flighty. (probably because she was being chased by my male!!!)

I don't have a smaller tank to keep them in when they hatch....I do have a lot of spots they can take shelter in...but as for the other tank, I'm still working on that one. My husband is just getting used to the 120 gal.
no rush.. but we would like to see them when you can... :D

[Red Devil]

I know I was wondering if you saw this thread... how jealous are we:drool: lol
yes.... i keep hoping one of mine will magically become a female.. :D:D

[farmsmitty]

There was a deal at my lfs - 1 male & 2 females for $10. I didn't think that was bad at all.

[Red Devil]

There was a deal at my lfs - 1 male & 2 females for $10. I didn't think that was bad at all.
great great deal..

[greenearthlawns]

There was a deal at my lfs - 1 male & 2 females for $10. I didn't think that was bad at all.

:WHOA:
OH I wish I lived in Canada right now lol We never have any deals like THAT around here your lucky tio get a scrappy cichlid for $10 around here that is...

I have one male and one female the male is trying sooooo hard to breed but she's not interested at all he is tearing her up and she keeps getting an infection I can't figure out how to help her... :(

[farmsmitty]

Get her another female to take the heat off....lol. You can get some great fish up here if you don't mind getting some smaller ones. The larger (4" and up) usually cost you a pretty penny. I don't mind smaller ones because they can easily hide while everyone is getting accustomed in the tank. I'll have to say though, these haps don't hide....they stand their own, even if they are small. The pregnant female is protecting herself right now though, that's good.

[iamzrad]

Wow nice grab indeed!
I have been searching for some time to aquire on these guys around here, no luck yet.

[farmsmitty]

Come up to Canada for a day trip and visit our fish stores!!! There's a big chain store up here, "Big Als", they usually have a lot of fresh and marine fish for a decent price.

To tell you the truth, I'd never seen these fish before, and just bought them because of the deal, and the alpha male in the tank looked fairly nice. When I got mine home, I couldn't believe how colourful mine got.

I also got a nubilis that changes colour like we breathe. He's pretty cool.

[Red Devil]

Come up to Canada for a day trip and visit our fish stores!!! There's a big chain store up here, "Big Als", they usually have a lot of fresh and marine fish for a decent price.

To tell you the truth, I'd never seen these fish before, and just bought them because of the deal, and the alpha male in the tank looked fairly nice. When I got mine home, I couldn't believe how colourful mine got.

I also got a nubilis that changes colour like we breathe. He's pretty cool.
more pics when you can.

[1974Pantera]

SP.44's are extremely aggressive, be very careful with any other tank mates.

Just lost my favorite fish, a male sp.44 I have had for more than 7yrs. He was the end of 4 generations of the original male I bought a long time ago.

Took me a month to get over him......

[mssassysan2000]

Nice fish great coloor.

[Kaze]

Hey farmsitty, beautiful fish. Are you from the Toronto area? Cuz I'm from Ontario too and there are truckloads of LFS, but I can't find one that has a huge variety of Cichlids here.

[1974Pantera]

Does anyone know how old they are when they breed? These guys I posted are still very small....my male about 2" and my 1 female 2", other 1.5".

They could start to spawn anytime now.....I have kept the sp.44 for over 20yrs and both fish are mature enough from the pictures.

Put a couple pcs of slate in that tank of yours, they need a spot for a honeymoon.

[1974Pantera]

As your male matures, you will much more vibrant yellow between the banding, his head will become jet black, and dorsal and tail will get a brilliant red. Fully matured, they are no longer interested in breeding and become EXTREMELY aggressive and will pretty much kill anything else in the tank.

Nice looking young male you have there.

[greenearthlawns]

the op to this thread has not responded for months wonder what happened....

[1974Pantera]

the op to this thread has not responded for months wonder what happened....

Good question.....just noticed, the original post was back in March.