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Spothead tyrant hap

Tyrannochromis maculiceps

Also known as Haplochromis maculiceps, Tyrant cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F (24–27°C)
pH
7.5–8.5
Adult size
11.6 in (29.5 cm)
Minimum tank
159 gal (600 L)
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
Tankmates with caution
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Rare
Origin
Lake Malawi
Family
Cichlidae

Overview

The spothead tyrant hap is a large ambush predator that hunts from the shadows of the rocks and swallows any fish it can fit in its mouth. Keep it singly and only with fish large enough to command its respect, choosing robust tankmates carefully. It needs a big tank with big rockwork and open water, plus hard, alkaline conditions. Feed quality pellets and frozen meaty foods rather than live feeders. A tank of around 600 liters is a realistic minimum for a predator this size.

In the wild

Tyrannochromis maculiceps hunts among the large rocks and broken shoreline of Lake Malawi, using shadows and crevices as cover from which to ambush smaller fish. Give it big rockwork arranged into caves, plenty of open swimming space, and the lake's hard, alkaline, warm water at pH 7.5-8.5 and 24-27 C.

Good to know

Tyrannochromis maculiceps is a large predatory cichlid reaching around 29.5 centimeters, with a freckled face and a wide, hinged mouth built for taking other fish. The genus name means tyrant cichlid and maculiceps means spotted head. Some authorities now treat it as a form of the closely related T. macrostoma. It is a maternal mouthbrooder and is difficult to breed.

Did you know

The names read like a warning. Tyrannochromis means tyrant cichlid and maculiceps means spotted head, so between genus and species this fish is labeled as a freckle-faced tyrant, and its wide-hinged jaws back the reputation up.

Common questions

What size tank does a Spothead tyrant hap need?

A Spothead tyrant hap needs at least 159 gal (600 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH do Spothead tyrant hap need?

Spothead tyrant hap are comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.

How big do Spothead tyrant hap get?

An adult Spothead tyrant hap reaches about 11.6 in (29.5 cm).

Where to buy

Some links may not be the exact species or variety.

…or ask your local fish store.

Appears in

Freshwater fish · Cichlids · Bottom dwellers

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