All fish / Cichlidae

Geertsi Peacock Hap

Copadichromis geertsi

Also known as geertsi hap, copadichromis geertsi, blue geertsi, utaka geertsi, haplochromis geertsi, geertsi red top, コパディクロミス・ゲールトシ, 吉尔茨鲷

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This is a utaka from Lake Malawi that lives around rocky reefs and picks plankton from open water. Mature males turn a deep metallic blue and develop a pale or golden blaze along the top of the head and dorsal fin, while females stay a plainer silvery brown. People keep it because it is one of the less common Copadichromis and is calmer than most mbuna.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

15 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7.6 to 8.6

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

One male with 3 or more females

Diet

Omnivore: zooplankton-type foods such as mysis, brine shrimp, krill and quality cichlid pellets

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique), endemic

Breeding

It is a maternal mouthbrooder. The male defends a spawning site, and once the eggs are laid the female carries them in her mouth for around three weeks before releasing free-swimming fry. Breeding in captivity is fairly easy if the water is hard and alkaline and the male has a few females to share his attention.

Good to know

Males get territorial while spawning, so give the tank plenty of swimming space and avoid keeping it with boisterous mbuna that will outcompete it at feeding time. It is rarely seen in the trade and is easy to mix up with other blue Copadichromis such as C. borleyi or C. trewavasae.