fish · Cichlidae
Sulphur-headed hap
Otopharynx lithobates
Wild range: Endemic to southern Lake Malawi; recorded around Cape Maclear / Nankhumba Peninsula islands including Thumbi West (type), Mumbo, Domwe, Zimbawe Rock, Maleri, Chinyamwezi and Chinyankwazi — all within Lake Malawi National Park (Seriously Fish; FishBase; IUCN; AquaInfo). (Africa)
At a glance: Sulphur-headed hap care
Compiled reference information. Review the care notes and original sources below.
What temperature is listed for Sulphur-headed hap?
The compiled profile lists 24.0–27.0 °C for Sulphur-headed hap (Otopharynx lithobates). Check the original sources below for context and differing recommendations.
What tank size is listed for Sulphur-headed hap?
The profile lists a minimum tank volume of 79.0 US gallons (300.0 liters). Volume alone does not establish suitability; consider dimensions, group size and other inhabitants alongside the full care notes.
What pH is listed for Sulphur-headed hap?
The compiled profile lists a pH of 7.5–8.5. Review the cited care sources alongside the other water parameters in this profile.
Natural habitat
A Lake Malawi rock-dwelling hap named for the sulphur-yellow to orange blaze that covers the head and dorsal fin of breeding males (the trade form from Zimbawe Rock is sold as Z-Rock). Adults reach about 10–16 cm TL. It needs hard, alkaline water, a sandy base with piled rock caves, and a large tank kept as a harem. Wild populations sit inside Lake Malawi National Park and are assessed Least Concern.
Where they are found
Otopharynx lithobates Oliver, 1989 (Oliver in Eccles & Trewavas, 1989) is valid in ITIS (TSN 649193), FishBase (2202), GBIF and Eschmeyer's Catalog of Fishes. Type locality: Thumbi Island West, Lake Malawi. The name means 'haunter of the stones' / rock-dweller. Otopharynx walteri Konings, 1990 (Maleri Islands) is treated as a junior synonym (IUCN; Cleaver et al. 2009; CRC; AquaInfo) and is aliased here. Geographic male blaze colour varies from white (Mumbo/Maleri) to orange-red (Domwe) to sulphur yellow (Zimbawe Rock — the popular Z-Rock / Zimbabwe Rock trade form). Trade mislabels have included Aristochromis sp. red top, Aristochromis lombardoi and Trematocranus lombardoi. Scott 2026-11-04 lock: this slug is O. lithobates only — do not fold into sulfur-head-peacock (Aulonocara maylandi, live separately); Protomelas spilonotus 'Tanzania' (sometimes sold as a sulphurhead hap) stays out. Max length about 16 cm TL males / 10 cm TL females (FishBase); hobby accounts 14–17 cm (AquaInfo; malawi.si; ciklid.org). IUCN: Least Concern (Konings & FishBase team RMCA 2018), assessed 20 June 2018.
Aquarium care
Give a harem a tank of at least about 300 L with a long footprint (ciklid.org 120 cm / 300–400 L; malawi.si 130 cm / 350 L; AquaInfo ≥1.50 m length; Seriously Fish absolute floor 90 × 45 cm / ~154 L is too small for a practical harem). Keep it at about 24–27°C, pH 7.5–8.5 and 10–25 dGH; hosts differ (FishBase 24–27°C; AquaInfo body 24–27°C / table 22–26°C, pH 7.5–8.5, GH 12–16; ciklid.org 23–28°C, pH 7.5–8.5; Seriously Fish 24–28°C, pH 7.6–8.8, 10–25 dGH). Build piles of rock into caves with open sand between them; hard-water plants such as Anubias or Vallisneria are optional and usually left alone (Seriously Fish; AquaInfo). Filter strongly and change water regularly — this is a cave scavenger that needs clean, stable alkaline water.
Feeding
In the wild it picks invertebrates and edible debris from sediment on rocks and sand, and it has been recorded feeding on droppings of cave catfish and herbivorous cichlids (FishBase; IUCN). In the aquarium offer varied frozen and live foods (Artemia, mysis, krill, mosquito larvae) plus quality cichlid pellets/granules with some Spirulina or other plant matter; several small meals beat one large one (Seriously Fish; AquaInfo; ciklid.org). Avoid very rich foods such as oxheart as a staple (ciklid.org).
Compatibility
Among the more peaceful Malawi haps for a hard-water biotope, but males become territorial when spawning and will eat very small fish (Seriously Fish; AquaInfo). Prefer calm haps and peacocks over boisterous mbuna (Seriously Fish). Do not mix with soft-water community fish. Scott lock: keep separate from Aulonocara maylandi (sulfur-head-peacock) and do not treat Protomelas spilonotus 'Tanzania' as this species.
Breeding
A maternal mouthbrooder. Keep one male with at least three females so his chasing is spread out (Seriously Fish; malawi.si 2–4♀; AquaInfo). He displays over a flat rock or cave floor; the female lays and immediately takes up the eggs, carrying 25–50 (up to ~60) for about 3–4 weeks / ~20 days and usually fasting (Seriously Fish; ciklid.org; AquaInfo). Fry take Artemia nauplii or finely crushed food from free-swimming. Strip at 2–3 weeks only if needed; moving a holding female too early can cost her rank in the group (Seriously Fish).
Sources
Compiled from multiple independent care sheets — not copied from a single site.