Gold Electra Deep-Water Hap (Cyrtocara electra)

Choose this peaceful Lake Malawi cichlid for the right community

The Gold Electra Deep-Water Hap (Cyrtocara electra) is a freshwater cichlid from Lake Malawi in Africa. It is endemic to the lake, with occurrence around Likoma Island, and FishBase records a maximum of 12 cm standard length. This fish suits a keeper prepared to maintain hard, alkaline water, a sandy aquarium with open floor space and a carefully selected peaceful Malawi community.

FishBase now lists it as Placidochromis electra, with Cyrtocara electra treated as a synonym. The Deep-water hap name comes from an earlier belief that it lived only in much deeper water than it is now known to inhabit. Wild fish are commonly found over sand and may be seen in shallower water, but prefer a depth of 7 m, and feed by collecting stirred-up material such as invertebrates and algae.

Make the main suitability decisions first

This is a very gentle hap rather than a fish to add simply because another cichlid also comes from Lake Malawi. Choose the surrounding community by temperament, water requirements and adult space needs. If you are comparing it with other focal animals, browse the centrepiece fish collection, then screen every proposed combination before deciding.

Separate the dispatch size from the adult plan

One purchase supplies one live fish. The dispatch grade associated with this offer is 4–5 cm, which describes the fish at dispatch rather than its eventual adult length. Plan the aquarium, filtration and community around the adult fish from the beginning; a smaller individual does not make a smaller permanent aquarium suitable.

Sex is guaranteed only when the selected option explicitly states male or female. This Gold Electra Deep-Water Hap listing has no sex-guaranteed option.

Plan for the adult size

FishBase records a maximum of 12 cm standard length for this species. Seriously Fish recommends a 120 × 45 cm aquarium base and a volume around 205 litres. Keep that footprint when planning: floor area matters because the fish lives and feeds close to sandy substrate, and the open sections must remain usable after rocks, caves and equipment have been installed.

A 120 × 45 cm base gives a concrete way to assess shape as well as nominal volume. A tall aquarium with much less floor area is not equivalent merely because its litre figure is similar. Start with the required base, preserve open sand between rock structures and choose an aquarium of around 205 litres, the volume Seriously Fish gives for a 120 × 45 × 38 cm tank.

Plan for the animal you will keep

• Purchase unit: one live fish.
• Dispatch grade: 4–5 cm.
• Recorded adult figure: a maximum of 12 cm standard length.
• Aquarium plan: a 120 × 45 cm base and around 205 litres.
• Community type: peaceful Lake Malawi fish chosen after compatibility screening.

Do not assume the sex of a young fish from its colour or size. Seriously Fish notes that males grow larger and are much more colourful than females, while OATA explains that many Malawi cichlids only show differences between the sexes once they become adults, not as juveniles. Build any intended sex ratio from fish that have been identified reliably rather than from an early visual assumption.

Build the aquarium around open sand and secure retreats

Use a sandy substrate and leave broad open areas between groups of rocks. Seriously Fish describes sand as essential for this species and recommends piles of rock arranged into caves and hiding places without filling the whole floor. That layout reflects how the fish feeds over substrate while still giving it caves and hiding places.

Start with an aquarium base of 120 × 45 cm and a volume around 205 litres. Place the larger rock structures before finalising the open areas, then look at the aquarium from end to end: the fish should be able to cross open sand without every route narrowing into a single passage.

Divide the base into practical zones

Plants are not necessary, although Seriously Fish says this species leaves them alone. OATA warns that Malawi cichlids will often dig and rearrange the substrate, which will uproot any plants present, so use only the hardiest plants that grow attached rather than rooted in the sand. Do not sacrifice open sand merely to create a densely planted appearance.

Prepare and mature the aquarium before livestock enters it. The biological filter must already be able to process waste, with ammonia and nitrite both reading zero. Our first tropical aquarium guide explains how to establish the system before the fish arrives. Increase the aquarium population gradually because the beneficial bacterial population must respond whenever fish numbers and feeding increase.

Inspect the finished layout as a working environment rather than a decoration. Confirm that rocks cannot shift when the substrate is disturbed, open sand remains accessible, equipment can be serviced and no planned companion will remove the retreats this gentle species needs. Make those decisions before filling the aquarium with a full community.

Hold the water at the shared species and group range

Keep the aquarium at 24–26°C, pH 8.0 and 12–18 dGH. These routine values are the overlap of FishBase's recorded environment, Seriously Fish species guidance and OATA's Malawi cichlid group guidance. OATA also gives a carbonate hardness of 10–15 dKH for the group. The overlap keeps the aquarium inside every named temperature, pH and general-hardness range.

Measure the aquarium rather than relying on labels such as hard, alkaline or Lake Malawi water. Temperature, pH, general hardness and carbonate hardness answer different questions: the thermometer confirms heat, pH shows acidity or alkalinity, general hardness reflects dissolved minerals, and carbonate hardness helps describe buffering. Use the water chemistry guide to understand those measurements and the water matcher to compare your results with the target values.

Check every decisive value

OATA says a Malawi cichlid aquarium should have coral sand or a similar substrate to buffer the water. This can also satisfy the need for a sandy floor, but it does not replace testing. Check the water that enters the aquarium as well as the water already inside it, especially when the normal tap-water chemistry changes or a maintenance routine is adjusted.

Do not chase a pH number through abrupt additions. Prepare replacement water with tap-water conditioner, measure it and keep routine changes consistent. The larger planned aquarium helps environmental conditions remain more stable, but volume does not remove the need for regular measurements. A stable reading inside the target is the objective at every routine check.

Match filtration and aeration to the planned community

Run a well-established biological filter continuously. The RSPCA explains that fish release toxic ammonia and that beneficial bacteria in a working filter convert it first to nitrite and then to the safer nitrate. A filter is therefore life-support equipment, not simply a way to make the water look clear.

For an aquarium around 205 litres, Seriously Fish recommends a turnover of four to five times the aquarium volume each hour. That corresponds to a filter rated at 820–1025 litres per hour. Use those figures as the starting requirement, then make sure the installed filter can operate without its intake or outlet being blocked by rocks, plants or accumulated debris.

Check the whole filtration system

• Biological capacity: mature the filter before adding fish and increase stocking slowly.
• Rated flow: plan for 820–1025 litres per hour in an aquarium around 205 litres.
• Oxygen: use strong aeration because a Malawi community can place substantial demand on dissolved oxygen.
• Circulation: keep the outlet clear and look for debris collecting in low-flow areas.
• Access: position the filter so blockages can be checked without dismantling the rockwork.

OATA recommends an oversized filter and aggressive aeration for Malawi communities. This does not mean directing a harsh jet into the only resting area. Arrange circulation so oxygenated water reaches the whole aquarium while caves and sheltered spaces remain usable. Surface movement is a practical sign that gas exchange is occurring, but water tests are still required to assess waste.

Seriously Fish estimates roughly 125–175 W across two heaters to hold 24–28°C in an aquarium of this size when the room is around 20°C. The routine target for this fish is narrower at 24–26°C. Two heaters spread across the aquarium can distribute heat, but both need clear circulation and must be set and checked against a separate thermometer.

Respond to a reduced filter flow by checking for blockages. If the media needs cleaning, rinse it lightly in aquarium water removed during a partial water change; do not run it under the tap. Preserve the bacterial population and avoid cleaning every component so aggressively that biological capacity is lost just when the fish still produce the same amount of waste.

Feed a varied diet that matches substrate foraging

Feed a varied combination of quality dried, frozen and live foods, including some algae or vegetable matter. FishBase describes wild Placidochromis electra collecting stirred-up material such as invertebrates and algae, while Seriously Fish recommends live, frozen and dried foods with spirulina flake or blanched spinach. The staple plan should therefore cover both animal material and the recorded plant or algae component.

Offer only what the fish can finish within a few minutes, twice a day. This schedule comes from OATA's Malawi cichlid guidance. Watch the fish eat rather than dropping in a fixed quantity and walking away: uneaten food breaks down, increases waste and makes it harder for the filter to maintain ammonia and nitrite at zero.

Build variety across feedings

A practical portion is the amount the fish actually consumes within the stated few minutes. If food remains after that period, remove what you can and reduce the next serving. If a faster companion takes everything before this fish can forage, change how the food is distributed or reconsider that companion rather than continually increasing the total amount.

Use more than one suitable food across the routine instead of relying on a single product. Variety reflects the mixture of invertebrates, algae and other morsels taken in nature. It also lets you observe whether a sudden refusal concerns one unfamiliar item or represents a wider change in appetite.

Link feeding to water care. Check for pieces trapped behind rocks or lying beyond the reach of the fish, and keep open sand accessible for observation and siphoning. A cloudy patch of disturbed sediment is consistent with the species' natural feeding association, but decomposing leftovers are a maintenance problem and should not be left as forage.

Reduced intake or a complete lack of interest in food is one of OATA's warning signs. When that change appears, test ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, temperature and pH, then compare the result with the fish's normal behaviour and the target range before adding another meal.

Keep a repeatable weekly maintenance routine

At least once every week, make a partial water change of 25%. Use a siphon to remove solid waste from accessible substrate, especially where debris gathers beside rocks. Treat replacement tap water with conditioner to remove chlorine or chloramine before it enters the aquarium.

Test the water at least once per week. Ammonia and nitrite must remain at 0 mg/l, while nitrate should not exceed 20 mg/l above the normal tap-water level. Record temperature, pH and hardness alongside those waste readings so a change can be recognised before it becomes a persistent trend.

Use the same sequence each week

1. Observe swimming, breathing, colour, fins, scales, body condition and appetite before disturbing the aquarium.
2. Measure ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, temperature and pH; check hardness often enough to confirm that the hard, alkaline target is being maintained.
3. Siphon waste while removing 25% of the water.
4. Treat the replacement water with tap-water conditioner before adding it.
5. Check the filter intake, outlet and media for blockages.
6. If cleaning is needed, rinse filter media lightly in the aquarium water removed during the change; do not run it under the tap.
7. Confirm that heaters, aeration and circulation are operating normally after refilling.

Healthy fish should have clear, bright eyes, undamaged fins, intact scales and appropriate swimming and breathing. Watch for hanging at the surface, sitting on the bottom, erratic swimming, a darker or paler colour, increased hiding, unusual aggression, a change in gill movement, white spots, fluffy growths, loss of fins or scales, changes in body condition and reduced feeding.

If any of those changes appears, test the water first. Correct measurable husbandry problems within the established target instead of treating appearance alone. Contact us for further guidance whenever the fish's health concerns you.

Do not compensate for missed maintenance with one unusually disruptive clean. The beneficial bacteria live on filter media and other wet surfaces, so preserving biological stability matters. Consistent 25% changes, controlled feeding, waste removal and gentle filter care are safer than allowing debris and nitrate to build before stripping the system down.

Use the fish's normal behaviour as the baseline. A gentle hap resting briefly in shelter is different from an individual that suddenly hides, breathes faster and refuses food. Regular observation makes that distinction possible because it gives you a familiar pattern against which to compare a change.

Receive and settle the fish with a controlled procedure

Be present to receive the parcel and follow the Tropical Fish Co delivery and Live Arrival Guarantee policy. The fish is hand-bagged in pure oxygen and placed in an insulated poly box, with a heat pack used when the weather calls for it.

Follow these arrival steps

1. Start filming before the parcel is opened, with the sealed parcel and outer box visible.
2. Open and inspect the parcel on the day it arrives in one continuous take, showing the fish inside the sealed bag before anything is disturbed.
3. Float the bag for 20–30 minutes before releasing the fish.
4. Never pour the bag water into the aquarium.
5. If anything has gone wrong, contact us the same day with the order number and continuous unboxing video showing the sealed parcel being opened and the fish still inside the bag.

Prepare the aquarium before the parcel arrives. Ammonia and nitrite must already read zero, temperature must be 24–26°C, pH must be 8.0 and general hardness must be 12–18 dGH. These checks belong to normal aquarium preparation and should not be postponed until the bag is floating.

Use clear settling-in checkpoints

• Before release: confirm the mature filter, heater, aeration and circulation are operating.
• At the first feeding: offer only a small portion that can be eaten within a few minutes and remove leftovers.
• After release: watch swimming, breathing, colour, hiding and appetite while maintaining the normal testing routine.
• Before adding more fish: confirm ammonia and nitrite remain at zero and increase the biological load slowly.
• Every week: continue the 25% water change and check that the peaceful community is not excluding the newcomer from food or shelter.

OATA advises adding Malawi cichlids in groups so that no individual receives unnecessary aggression as it settles, and adding the more peaceful species first. Apply that principle only within a pre-screened stocking plan. Do not respond to aggression by immediately adding several unplanned fish, because rapid stocking can exceed the filter's biological capacity.

Observe without repeatedly dismantling the layout. Open sand should remain accessible, shelter should remain usable and the fish should be able to feed without persistent pursuit. If aggression concentrates around one established territory, reassess the community and use the compatibility plan rather than treating hiding as an acceptable settling period.

Choose peaceful Malawi companions and avoid known conflicts

Choose Aulonocara, Copadichromis or other peaceful Malawi species only after checking adult space, water requirements and temperament. Seriously Fish describes this hap as very gentle and specifically says it is not suited to the hurly-burly of a mbuna community. Sharing Lake Malawi as an origin is therefore not enough to make two cichlids compatible.

Match each companion to a clear decision

It is peaceful with members of its own species, although breeding fish become mildly territorial. In a mixed-sex group, keep several females per male; OATA advises more females than males in Malawi cichlids to prevent males harassing one individual female. No option guarantees sex, so confirm the sex of each fish reliably before building that ratio.

OATA says Malawi cichlids should only be kept with other Malawi cichlids or some species of Synodontis catfish that also inhabit Lake Malawi, so avoid all other fish; within those groups, avoid mbuna communities and favour peaceful Malawi species. A proposed Synodontis must still be assessed for its own adult space, water, diet and behaviour rather than being treated as a universal catfish companion.

Plants can be included because Seriously Fish says this species leaves them alone, although Malawi cichlids will often dig and rearrange the substrate, which will uproot any plants present. Attach robust plants securely and preserve the open sandy areas required by the fish.

Do not use a simple aggressive-or-peaceful label for the whole aquarium. Check how every animal feeds, where it occupies the tank and whether it competes for the same retreat. A companion that repeatedly takes food before this substrate-feeding hap can reach it is a poor match even if obvious fighting is absent.

Screen the whole stocking plan before combining fish

Assess the complete community before adding this fish. Begin with the aquarium's 120 × 45 cm base and volume around 205 litres, then account for the adult size, territory and waste production of every proposed animal. The nominal volume does not guarantee enough floor space once rocks, caves and open sand have been divided among several fish.

Check five points for every companion

1. Water: it must thrive at 24–26°C, pH 8.0 and 12–18 dGH.
2. Temperament: it must fit a peaceful Malawi community and must not turn the aquarium into a mbuna-style environment.
3. Adult space: all fish must fit the completed 120 × 45 cm layout at adult size.
4. Feeding access: the Gold Electra must be able to reach its varied food without persistent competition.
5. Territory: caves and rock piles must not remove the open sand this hap uses.

Contact us with the aquarium dimensions, measured water values, filtration, present inhabitants and intended additions for a stocking and compatibility assessment. Names alone are not enough because the number and arrangement of territories affect the practical result.

Add the more peaceful Malawi species first, as OATA advises, and keep every later addition within the peaceful community this hap needs. OATA also recommends adding Malawi cichlids in groups to prevent one new fish receiving all the aggression as animals settle. Increase the overall population slowly enough for beneficial filter bacteria to respond to additional waste and feeding; the aggression strategy must not create a water-quality problem.

When tensions appear, identify the pattern before changing the community. Repeated pursuit by the same fish, one individual being excluded from food, a fish remaining at the surface or bottom, darker or paler colour and increased hiding all require attention. Mild territoriality during breeding does not justify persistent injury or loss of access to food and shelter.

Rearranging décor can reduce aggression by changing established territories. Preserve the required open substrate while doing so, and confirm that rocks remain secure. After any rearrangement, watch feeding and breathing and check that circulation has not been blocked.

Do not combine different colour forms of Placidochromis electra. Seriously Fish warns that the forms may hybridise, so this remains an avoid decision rather than a combination to try after observation. Likewise, the explicit warning against a mbuna community is not removed by adding extra caves or a stronger filter.

Answer the questions keepers ask before choosing this fish

How big does the Gold Electra Deep-Water Hap get?

FishBase records a maximum of 12 cm standard length; plan its aquarium around that adult figure, not its dispatch size.

What size aquarium does Cyrtocara electra need?

Use an aquarium with a 120 × 45 cm base and a volume around 205 litres, leaving open sand between rock piles and caves.

How many Gold Electra Deep-Water Haps should I keep?

For a mixed-sex group, keep several females per male; identify the fish reliably because many Malawi cichlids only show differences between the sexes once they become adults.

What does Cyrtocara electra need from its keeper?

Keep it only if you can mature the filter before it arrives, hold hard, alkaline water at 24–26°C, pH 8.0 and 12–18 dGH, and screen a peaceful Lake Malawi community carefully.

What does the Gold Electra Deep-Water Hap eat?

Feed it varied quality dried, frozen and live foods with an algae or vegetable component, offering only what it eats within a few minutes twice a day.

What temperature and pH does this fish need?

Keep it at the FishBase, Seriously Fish and OATA overlap of 24–26°C, pH 8.0 and 12–18 dGH.

Is it aggressive or likely to nip fins?

Seriously Fish describes it as very gentle, although it becomes mildly territorial when breeding; avoid mbuna communities and watch for persistent pursuit or exclusion from food.

Which animals can this fish live with?

Screen Aulonocara, Copadichromis, other peaceful Malawi species and some Lake Malawi Synodontis; avoid mbuna communities, other colour forms of Placidochromis electra and any fish other than Malawi cichlids and Lake Malawi Synodontis.

How is this fish packed, and what should I do when it arrives?

Tropical Fish Co hand-bags it in pure oxygen inside an insulated poly box; make sure someone is at the delivery address to receive the parcel, film from the sealed parcel onward and float the bag for 20–30 minutes before release.

Check the public references used for identity and care

• FishBase: Placidochromis electra — accepted identity, synonym, distribution, recorded environment, wild biology and maximum length.
• Seriously Fish: Placidochromis electra — aquarium dimensions, water, layout, feeding and compatibility.
• OATA: African Malawi cichlids — group water, feeding, maintenance, health and introduction guidance.
• RSPCA: aquarium environment — biological filtration and fish-waste processing.