View Full Version : hap. compressiceps
rweedon
09-18-2005, 4:17 PM
we just got in some hap compressiceps and they look pretty cool need to know something about them any help would be nice... told that they go by diff. names don't remember though...
piranha45
09-18-2005, 5:45 PM
proper name is Dimidiochromis comprecisseps.
they prey on small fish/fish fry in the wild, and they are incredibly adept at doing it in the aquarium too, although while only 3-4" long the only fish they can really eat are small guppies.
carnivorous/protein pellets are a fine primary diet for them.
Both sexes start out silver w/ black stripes, but the female stays that color while the male develops a striking blue/turqoise color throughout its body as it matures. Male gets like 10", females 7"
They are not good tankmates with mbuna, as mbuna tend to bully them too much and are excessively active.
They are territorial toward other african hap species.
They are best kept in a fairly placid, tranquil tank without too much tankmate movement.
rweedon
09-18-2005, 5:58 PM
thanks p45 I heard that they bet really huge maybe just bigger than mbuna...
piranha45
09-18-2005, 6:06 PM
maybe a 5-year-old male could reach 12"....
Are you talking about the Malawi Eye Biter (Dimidiochromis compressiceps) 2 pics, sort of long and blueish, or the Lake Tanganyika (Altolaprologus compressiceps) several colors several pics?
piranha45
09-18-2005, 9:05 PM
A. comprecisseps is not a haplochromis cichlid, but that doesn't rule out the possibility that the LFS mislabeled i suppose...
rweedon
09-18-2005, 9:15 PM
dimidiochromis, I saw the order form and it said hap. that is part of all of my confusion I was soooo confused...
guppy
09-18-2005, 10:13 PM
I don't know what a hap. is, that is why I asked with pics. My old reference book doesn't help here. What is the full spelling of Hap. please?
piranha45
09-18-2005, 10:35 PM
haplochromis, its a scientifically extinct taxon now tho, from what i hear. but still widely used as a common name for most of the non-mbuna Malawi cichlids...
guppy
09-18-2005, 10:43 PM
Arrrgh! My brain is full!
Killerhap
11-30-2006, 5:41 PM
Hap is a common name, anything that isn't a mbuna or Peacock is called a Hap, but they are not a true group.
Dimidiochromis compressiceps comes in a few different colors:
Blue: http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/Fishindx/Fishpics/dimid_compress-male.jpg
White/Albino: http://cjexotics.com/images/albinoeyebiters.JPG
Gold: http://www.malawi.cichlids.ru/images/fishes/didmi_compressiceps_gold1.jpg
There are also fake colors too, OB Hybird, but you know, what's the point?
FishSkins
11-30-2006, 6:00 PM
:ROFL: very nice pic's guppyI don't know what a hap. is, that is why I asked with pics. My old reference book doesn't help here. What is the full spelling of Hap. please?
scott g
11-30-2006, 6:06 PM
Compressiceps are really cool fish and when the Males get 4 or 5 inches long they color up to be absolutely beautiful. They aren't too aggressive but they are feisty. They should not be kept with hyper aggressive fish. Enjoy them, they are truly cool fish. They are my all time favorite! :headbang2
N-E Cichlids
11-30-2006, 8:52 PM
post a pic of your fish so we can see it.
Here is a pic of my breeding trio which is for sale if you are interested. These are the Malawi Eye Biters
mike dunagan
12-01-2006, 8:06 PM
nice mating pair. Too bad we are over stocked at work... or I might think about it. Not many people like to buy them. I might have to see if my more experience visitors would be interested...