# Electric Blue Haps



## CarpCharacin (Dec 4, 2014)

I have 3 male electric blue haps in a 40 gallon breeder tank. I plan to move them to a 55. Someone on another forum told me that I need to get 12 females to put in in with them to spread out the aggression, but I talked to a cichlid breeder in my area and he said that I don't have to put females in with them unless I want to breed them. They seem to be getting along ok with no females. Some days only one male is blue, and other days all of them are blue and sometimes 2 out of the 3 are blue. I also have 2 plecos in the tank with them. I probably will eventually move the plecos to another tank.


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

Usually one male will become dominate and start to beat or kill the others. The females keep the males distracted so they aren't messing with each other.


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## Aaron S (Apr 4, 2015)

So there are several ways to stock your peacocks that have commonly worked for people: 
1. groups of males and female normally in the ratio of 1:4 up to 1:7 M/F with the intention of breeding -- this would require that you take the females out after they get pregnant and remove the fry prior to her spitting them out
2. Exactly the same fish as #1 but no intention to breed (this is the suggestion you got from the other forum) -- when a female gets pregnant, you just leave her in there and most babies get eaten by the tank.
3. All male tank which normally includes both peacocks and haps. In this kind of tank, you would only have one of a certain species and moreover you should not have look-alike fish (ie. you cant have both a German red and a red shoulder).

As James stated, the reason the all-male tank does not have look-alikes is to try to reduce the odds that you have fish killing eachother. Cichlids have a tendency to do that... How large are your blues? I personally would pick your favorite one and exchange the others for different peacocks/haps or use them as one of your species to stock several harem groups (#2).


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

If these are Sciaenochromis fryeri, you really should be looking at a bigger tank than a 55 gallon, in my opinion. How large are yours right now? Females aren't really needed, unless you want to breed. You can just do an all male tank if you prefer, but you will need more fish to spread the aggression around.


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## CarpCharacin (Dec 4, 2014)

They aren't that big right now. The largest one is maybe 2 inches. They are Sciaenochromis fryeri. How large of a tank would I need?


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

At least 75 gallons. I have one that terrorized a 6ft 125.


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## CarpCharacin (Dec 4, 2014)

james1983 said:


> At least 75 gallons. I have one that terrorized a 6ft 125.


Per fish or for all 3?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

For all three fish, a 75 gallon is likely minimum. These are a more aggressive than average Hap, and can grow to 8". 6-7" is more typical, but even at that size, a 55 gallon doesn't give the room to hide when the chasing begins. I've kept them in 6ft tanks as adults for the most part... I've used 4ft 75 gallons as growouts, and in one case with an older male and his females, as he had mellowed out quite a bit... and was every bit of 8", but the tank was incredibly heavily planted with Vallisneria, so he probably couldn't see further than 6" away at any one point.


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## CarpCharacin (Dec 4, 2014)

So should I get a 6 foot tank if I want to keep them as adults?


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

A bigger tank is always better, but doesn't mean they will live peacefully together.


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## CarpCharacin (Dec 4, 2014)

I don't want them to kill each other. Do they really get that big?


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

7-8" is pretty accurate. Anything over 6" starts to look cramped in a normal 55 gallon tank.


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## CarpCharacin (Dec 4, 2014)

So should I get a 75 or a 6 ft tank?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

CarpCharacin said:


> So should I get a 75 or a 6 ft tank?


Nobody has ever regretted getting the bigger tank. If it is an option, go for it, you will love it.


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## CarpCharacin (Dec 4, 2014)

I am planning to build a shed to put a fish room in. Sometimes cheap 125s show up on craigslist in my area.


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## CarpCharacin (Dec 4, 2014)

I am actually not going to be building a shed for my tanks. I am just planning to move most of them into the basement. They are still in the 40. Does anyone know when the next petco dollar per gallon sale is? They have 75 gallon tanks there. I don't want to breed them, so I want to keep it an all male tank. How many more fish would I need to spread out the aggression?


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

CarpCharacin said:


> I am actually not going to be building a shed for my tanks. I am just planning to move most of them into the basement. They are still in the 40. Does anyone know when the next petco dollar per gallon sale is? They have 75 gallon tanks there. I don't want to breed them, so I want to keep it an all male tank. How many more fish would I need to spread out the aggression?


Aim for 8-10 fish total in a 75 gallon.


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## CarpCharacin (Dec 4, 2014)

What kind of fish? More haps?


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

Haps and peacocks. Either 8-10 individuals that look different or 3 or 4 different species with 1m/4f.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

OP has three male fryeri he wants to keep in the tank and is asking for tank mate recommendations.


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## wryan (Dec 6, 2015)

To the question re the next Petco D-A-G sale:

You are aware that there is one currently running until I think January 28th correct ?


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## CarpCharacin (Dec 4, 2014)

I also ahve a common pleco and a rhino pleco in the tank. I am planning to move them to different tanks when they get larger.


wryan said:


> To the question re the next Petco D-A-G sale:
> 
> You are aware that there is one currently running until I think January 28th correct ?


I didn't know that. I will probably get the tank in the next few days.


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## CarpCharacin (Dec 4, 2014)

Would putting in more male electric blue haps work?


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## james1983 (Dec 23, 2007)

Multiple males will fight. The best plan to keep more than one would be with a lot of females.


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## Fogelhund (Dec 3, 2002)

CarpCharacin said:


> Would putting in more male electric blue haps work?


Here is the thing... sure, you could keep a tank of just Scieanochromis fryeri males... but, only one would be dominant and show it's best colours. As they go down the dominance chain, less and less are at their best.


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## CarpCharacin (Dec 4, 2014)

None of the Petcos had 75s so I got a used 75 for $35 and I am resealing it.


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