Spilonotus Hap
Protomelas spilonotus
Cichlidae
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About
Start with the name, because this is a fish that is easy to buy by accident. Trewavas described Protomelas spilonotus in 1935 as Haplochromis spilonotus; FishBase and Wikipedia carry Haplochromis spilonotus and Cyrtocara spilonotus as its only synonyms. Seriously Fish has no profile for it at all - the URL 404s - so AquaInfo is the one husbandry source we could open, and it says plainly that the species 'does not have a widely recognized common name' and is usually sold under its scientific name or, occasionally, as the 'Sulfur Head Haplochromis'. That last label is the trap, because 'sulphur head' is not one fish. AquaInfo attaches it to variants of this species - 'In English, some variants are commonly referred to as Sulphur Heads' - while Seriously Fish uses 'Sulphur-headed Hap' as the standing common name of Otopharynx lithobates, a different genus that has its own page in this catalogue. Check the binomial and the locality on the bag, not the shelf name. The described species itself is a mid-water rock fish. FishBase: it 'favors a sediment-free rocky habitat, where it stays in midwater about one meter away from the substrate. Is normally found just below the surface, rarely deeper than 5 m. Mostly seen at places where the rocky coast drops steeply. Feeds on invertebrates taken from the water and on insects that fall into the water.' Males are strikingly blue with blue fins and a yellow to white-blue head; females are grey with clear fins. The species name comes from the spots - AquaInfo derives spilonotus from spilos, spot, and notos, back, 'likely referring to the five black spots at the base of the dorsal fin' - and the fish carries a continuous lengthwise stripe crossed by about ten bars. Many geographic colour forms exist, from Chilumba and Ruarwe in the north to the Mbenji Islands, Nkhungu, Eccles and Magunga reefs in the south. Size is where the sources genuinely disagree and the answer matters, because this is one of the Protomelas that gets big. FishBase's largest recorded specimen is 16.7 cm TL, which Wikipedia repeats. AquaInfo's own description says 15-18 cm, and then its notes section says wild males reach about 20 cm, aquarium males up to 25 cm and females about 19 cm. We plan for a 20 cm adult - the largest figure a husbandry source states for wild fish - and flag the 25 cm claim as a single-source outlier rather than build a tank around it. Temperament is the easy part: AquaInfo describes it as territorial rather than nasty, 'not particularly aggressive towards other species, but can be quite aggressive within their own species', and rough with females during the breeding season without usually doing real harm.
Care
Volume and swimming room. AquaInfo asks for at least 600 litres, and 200 cm of length if you keep more than one pair; we gate at 150 cm and 400 litres, which is the floor rather than the target for a 20 cm fish. Stack rock high to make territories and sight breaks, use sand so the fish can move it without hurting itself, and leave the middle of the tank open - in the lake it hangs about a metre off the rock, just below the surface. Hard, alkaline Malawi water at pH 7.8-8.4, 10-16 dH, 24-26 C, with strong filtration and regular changes. Keep one male with three or more females; males are only mildly bothered by other species but quite aggressive to each other, so a second male needs real length. Robust haps make the best company - AquaInfo names Champsochromis, Aristochromis, Dimidiochromis, Nimbochromis and Buccochromis - and peaceful, timid fish do not. No source reports it damaging plants, but its habitat is bare rock, so plants are optional rather than natural here. Feed a carnivore's diet in measured portions and keep the tank covered.
Diet
Carnivore that takes invertebrates from the water column and insects off the surface. A good Malawi pellet plus frozen mysis, brine shrimp and cyclops. Easy feeder - the discipline needed is portion size, not variety.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (37)
Possible with care (352)
Avoid (29)
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
Similar species
Same category and the closest water parameters — if this species isn't quite it, start here.
Sold in Lithuania
These Lithuanian shops listed this species in their public catalogue (checked August 8, 2026). Stock moves — ask before you travel.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Spilonotus Hap need?
- A Spilonotus Hap needs an aquarium of at least 400 litres (105.7 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 Spilonotus Hap need?
- Spilonotus Hap does best at 23–28 °C (73.4–82.4 °F), pH 7.5–8.6 and a general hardness of 8–20 °dGH.
- What group size does a Spilonotus Hap need?
- Spilonotus Hap is a social species — keep a group of at least 4 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Spilonotus Hap suitable for beginners?
- Spilonotus Hap 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.