AquariumFish.com
Freshwater fishRed Empress Cichlid
Red Empress Cichlid
Couldn't load pickup availability
The male red empress gets an astonishing rainbow pattern; the female is also pretty, with reflective bluish scales, and is slightly smaller. These cichlids behave like peacock cichlids: relatively peaceful except when breeding. The red empress is popular because of the colors and size; these African cichlids only grow to five inches.
The color of the red empress cichlid improves as it ages and is most vibrant during breeding time. Less mature fish have just a hint of the future color pattern.
Quick Facts
| Scientific Name | Protomelas taeniolatus |
| Origin | Lake Malawi, Africa |
| Care Level | Easy to moderate |
| Temperament | Semi-aggressive (males territorial) |
| Adult Size | Up to 5–6" |
| Lifespan | 8–10 years |
| Diet | Omnivore (meaty foods) |
| Water Temperature | 76–82°F |
| pH | 7.8–8.6 |
| Shipping Size | Medium: approx. 2" · Large: approx. 3" |
Care Guide
Tank setup: Give them a sand bottom, open swimming space in front and rockwork along the back. Lake Malawi and Lake Tanganyika cichlids need hard, alkaline water; crushed coral or aragonite sand helps hold the pH up.
Feeding: Feed a quality cichlid pellet or flake once or twice a day. They also enjoy frozen foods like brine shrimp.
Tankmates: Haps do well with peacocks and other haps of similar size, plus robust catfish like synodontis. Keep one male per similar-looking species, with several females, to limit fighting and crossbreeding.
Good to know: Males take a year or more to show full adult color, and color best when females are present.
Share
