Red Empress
Protomelas taeniolatus
Cichlidae
About
The red empress is a strikingly coloured haplochromine cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi, where it ranges over the intermediate zone between rocky reefs and open sand. Dominant males blaze in metallic blue, red and orange with a boldly patterned body, while females and juveniles remain a subdued silvery bronze. Milder-tempered than most mbuna, males still hold firm territories against rivals, so this active, medium-large hap is best kept as a harem in a spacious hard-water Malawi aquarium rather than a soft-water community.
Care
Keep in hard, alkaline water (pH 7.8-8.5, high GH/KH) at 25-27 C in a tank of 250 L or more with a long footprint, open sand and stacked rockwork. Best as a harem of one male to three or more females; not for soft-water community tanks. Provide a secure lid as males can leap.
Diet
Omnivore that grazes aufwuchs and picks small invertebrates; feed a spirulina-based cichlid pellet plus frozen brine shrimp, mysis and cyclops, and keep protein moderate to avoid bloat.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (156)
Avoid (115)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Extended finsStrong · from about 8 months, and later in a suppressed male
On many cichlids and killifish the male's dorsal and anal fins draw out into trailing points as he matures, while the female's stay rounded.
- VentingA hint only · only on a mature fish, easiest when she is in breeding condition
The method breeders use when the answer has to be right. Hold the fish upside down in a wet hand or soft net and look at the two openings ahead of the anal fin. The forward one is the anus; the one behind it is what you are reading.
- Adult sizeA hint only · only across animals of the same age
In many cichlids, catfish and loaches one sex simply grows larger — usually the male, though there are well-known reversals.
Also in these lists
Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Red Empress need?
- A Red Empress needs an aquarium of at least 250 litres (66 US gallons) with a footprint at least 150 cm (59.1 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Red Empress need?
- Red Empress does best at 23–28 °C (73.4–82.4 °F), pH 7.5–8.8 and a general hardness of 10–25 °dGH.
- What group size does a Red Empress need?
- Red Empress is a social species — keep a group of at least 4 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Red Empress suitable for beginners?
- Red Empress sits in the middle of the difficulty scale — manageable for a careful beginner who has done the reading, but it has specific needs worth researching first.