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No federal permit to keep

Otopharynx lithobates

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Otopharynx lithobates is a species of cichlid endemic to Lake Malawi.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 6.3 in

WaterFreshwater

HabitatLives in freshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 6.3 in / 16 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 75–81°F (range recorded for this species).
Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
Diet: A substrate browser: offer sinking foods and let it sift the bottom; use soft sand if it digs. FishBase classes it as a herbivore.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Tank: a base of at least 35 × 18 in (roughly 41 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
Water: hard, alkaline water, 75–82 °F, pH 7.6–8.8, 10–25 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament peaceful.
Difficulty: Easy (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Much of the aquarium should contain piles of rocks, arranged to form caves with areas of open water between.”
Tankmates: “A relatively peaceful species ideal for many hard water communities.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Lake Malawi peacocks and haps

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Open water and sand of Lake Malawi. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Hard, alkaline water (pH 7.8–8.6), a long tank (5 ft+ for larger haps) with open sand and some rock.
Generally less aggressive than mbuna; males color up best with several females.

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Climate & lighting

Water

76–82°F

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Diet

For Aulonocara stuartgranti, use small prepared foods with some vegetable content and varied small live/frozen invertebrates. Match other haps to their own feeding ecology.

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Health watch

Do not diagnose bloat from a label such as “mbuna-style food”; Aulonocara stuartgranti diets can include vegetable foods. Match food and tankmates to the species.

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Understanding the animal

About this animal

This species can reach a length of 16 centimetres (6.3 in) TL. This species can also be found in the aquarium trade. As O. walteri this species was known as Aristochromis deep in the aquarium trade.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Otopharynx lithobates” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater, in caves. Stays near the bottom. Inhabits caves; found in rocky habitats; feeds on the droppings of mainly herbivorous species; picks up edible morsels from the substrate; also seems to be attracted to large catfishes, from which it may eat wastes as well.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 75–81 °F (24–27 °C).
Climate	Tropical climate.
Wild diet	Browsing on substrate.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 75–81 °F.

FishBase species summary: Otopharynx lithobates

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Biology	Inhabits caves; found in rocky habitats; feeds on the droppings of mainly herbivorous species; picks up edible morsels from the substrate; also seems to be attracted to large catfishes, from which it may eat wastes as well. Feeds on droppings of cave-dwelling catfish Bagrus meridionalis. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources6.3in

FishBase 1646.3

Seriously Fish species profiles 1676.3

Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources75–81.5°F

FishBase 16475–81

Seriously Fish species profiles 16775–82

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Reported7.6–8.8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1677.6–8.8

Water hardness

Reported10–25dGH

Seriously Fish species profiles 16710–25

Minimum tank footprint

Reported35in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16735

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 35 × 18 in (about 41 US gallons).

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial; AquariumFishII=based mainly on breeding)
6 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Seriously Fish — Aulonocara stuartgranti Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.