TankBud

Big-mouth hap

Tyrannochromis macrostoma

Also known as Tyrant hap, Macrostoma hap

FreshwaterFish

Big-mouth hap (Tyrannochromis macrostoma)

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
7.6–8.6
Adult size
13.8 in
35 cm
Minimum tank
211 gal
800 L
Temperament
Aggressive
Social behavior
Social
Tankmates
With caution
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Mouthbrooder · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Lake Malawi, endemic

Overview

The big-mouth hap is a large Malawi predator for a very big tank. It is best left to experienced keepers.

Did you know

The big-mouth hap eats the very mbuna that other keepers prize. It is a specialized hunter of smaller Malawi cichlids, with a mouth wide enough to swallow an adult whole.

Caring for the big-mouth hap

Give a big-mouth hap at least 211 gal (800 L), since this big, active predator needs a lot of room. Build sturdy rockwork, but above all leave open swimming space. It cruises the open middle water above the rocks.

Keep the water hard, alkaline and well buffered, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 7.6 to 8.6. Run heavy filtration. Feed meaty foods and quality carnivore pellets, and avoid live feeder fish.

Keep a single male, ideally with a few females, and never house rival males together. It is aggressive and eats smaller fish, so it can share a tank only with cichlids too big to swallow. That is a short list of large, robust Malawi cichlids, never small mbuna.

Like other Malawi haplochromines, it is a maternal mouthbrooder. Breeding is of medium difficulty.

Good to know

Tyrannochromis macrostoma is a large predatory cichlid, described by Charles Tate Regan in 1922. Its names fit its habits, since the genus name means tyrant and macrostoma means large mouth.

In the wild

The big-mouth hap is endemic to Lake Malawi. It hunts over the rocky shallows, taking smaller cichlids from among the stones.

Common questions

What size tank does a big-mouth hap need?

A big-mouth hap needs at least 211 gal (800 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a big-mouth hap need?

A big-mouth hap is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 7.6–8.6.

What does a big-mouth hap eat?

A big-mouth hap eats meaty foods and quality carnivore pellets. Do not feed it live feeder fish.

How big does a big-mouth hap get?

An adult big-mouth hap reaches about 13.8 in (35 cm).

How does a big-mouth hap breed?

A big-mouth hap is a maternal mouthbrooder, like other Malawi haplochromines. Breeding it is of medium difficulty.

Related species