TankBud

Ericotaenia hap

Mylochromis ericotaenia

Also known as Haplochromis ericotaenia

FreshwaterFish

Ericotaenia hap (Mylochromis ericotaenia)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
7.5–8.5
Adult size
8.1 in
20.5 cm
Minimum tank
119 gal
450 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Lake Malawi

Overview

The Ericotaenia hap is a medium-large Malawi hap that works the sand. It patrols the lower water, digging and snuffling for small invertebrates, and is best kept by someone with some cichlid experience.

Did you know

The Ericotaenia hap wears the badge of its genus, a single stripe slanting diagonally across the body. The whole genus Mylochromis signs itself this way, one of the simplest and most consistent field marks among Malawi's many look-alike cichlids.

Caring for the Ericotaenia hap

Keep the Ericotaenia hap as a single fish or as one male with a few females, never a mixed group of males. A single fish or a small harem needs at least 119 gal (450 L). Give it a broad sand bed to dig in, some rock structure for cover and open swimming space.

Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 7.5 to 8.5. Run strong filtration and keep the chemistry stable. Feed sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm, mysis and brine shrimp that reach the floor.

It is fairly peaceful for its size but still a big cichlid, so be selective about tank mates. Robust Malawi haps and open-water species suit it, as long as it has room.

The Ericotaenia hap is a maternal mouthbrooder, and the female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth. Getting a compatible pair to spawn and rear young in captivity is hard for a fish this size.

Good to know

The Ericotaenia hap is a Malawi hap in the family Cichlidae. Its bold, oblique stripe runs from the nape toward the tail.

In the wild

Mylochromis ericotaenia lives over sandy and mixed sand-and-rock areas of Lake Malawi. It cruises the floor there in search of buried food.

Common questions

What size tank does an Ericotaenia hap need?

An Ericotaenia hap needs at least 119 gal (450 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an Ericotaenia hap need?

An Ericotaenia hap is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.

What does an Ericotaenia hap eat?

An Ericotaenia hap eats sinking pellets, frozen bloodworm, mysis and brine shrimp that reach the floor.

How big does an Ericotaenia hap get?

An adult Ericotaenia hap reaches about 8.1 in (20.5 cm).

How does an Ericotaenia hap breed?

The Ericotaenia hap is a maternal mouthbrooder, and the female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth. Getting a compatible pair to spawn and raise young in captivity is hard.

Related species