TankBud

Stripeback buccochromis

Buccochromis nototaenia

Also known as Nototaenia hap

FreshwaterFish

Stripeback buccochromis (Buccochromis nototaenia)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–81°F
24–27°C
pH
7.5–8.5
Adult size
9.1 in
23 cm
Minimum tank
159 gal
600 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Solitary
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Hard
Rarity
Common
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Lake Malawi

Overview

The stripeback buccochromis is a pursuit predator built for open water. It suits a keeper with some experience and a long tank.

Did you know

Buccochromis are sprinters that run their prey down in the open. Most of the other predators in Lake Malawi are ambushers instead.

Caring for the stripeback buccochromis

Keep one stripeback buccochromis in at least 159 gal (600 L), in a tank long enough for it to use. Give it a long, uninterrupted swimming run through the middle of the tank and a sand floor.

Keep the water hard and alkaline, at 75 to 81°F (24 to 27°C) and a pH of 7.5 to 8.5. Feed prepared and frozen meaty foods on a schedule rather than scattering food, so it does not learn to strike at any movement.

The stripeback buccochromis is aggressive, so choose tank mates too large to be chased down. Anything slim and quick enough to look like prey will be treated as prey.

Males develop blue and yellow through the head and fins as they mature. It is a maternal mouthbrooder. Breeding is hard, mostly because the tank must be large enough for the male to hold a display area without cornering the female.

Good to know

The stripeback buccochromis is a Malawi cichlid in the family Cichlidae. It has a black stripe along the upper flank of a streamlined body. It grows steadily, and at this size it is a decades-long commitment.

In the wild

The stripeback buccochromis courses over shallow sand in Lake Malawi, hunting small fish in open water.

Common questions

What size tank does a stripeback buccochromis need?

A stripeback buccochromis needs at least 159 gal (600 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a stripeback buccochromis need?

A stripeback buccochromis is comfortable at 75–81°F (24–27°C) with a pH of 7.5–8.5.

What does a stripeback buccochromis eat?

A stripeback buccochromis eats prepared and frozen meaty foods. Feed it on a schedule rather than scattering food, so it does not learn to strike at movement.

How big does a stripeback buccochromis get?

An adult stripeback buccochromis reaches about 9.1 in (23 cm).

How can you tell a male stripeback buccochromis from a female?

Males develop blue and yellow through the head and fins as they mature.

How does a stripeback buccochromis breed?

The stripeback buccochromis is a maternal mouthbrooder. Breeding it is hard, mostly because the male needs room to hold a display area without cornering the female.

Related species