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No federal permit to keepMalawi Hawk Cichlid
Aristochromis christyi
Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)
Aristochromis christyi is a species of fish in the family Cichlidae, which is endemic to Lake Malawi in Africa.
Care at a glance
Species-specific aquarium care
- Tank: At least 60 in long and 24 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 11.8 in / 30 cm).
- Water: Freshwater.
- Temperature: 75–79°F (range recorded for this species).
- pH: 7.4–8.4.
- Hardness: 7–30 dGH.
- Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
- Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.
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 71 × 24 in (roughly 171 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
- Water: hard, alkaline water, 75–79 °F, pH 7.5–9, 10–30 dGH.
- Behaviour: temperament predatory; kept alone; not a community fish.
- Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).
Short excerpts from the species profile:
- Setup: “As it's an open water species, it needs plenty of swimming space.”
- Diet: “Although the species is a piscivore by nature (it preys chiefly on other cichlids ) it can easily be trained to accept dead foods in aquaria.”
- Tankmates: “A predatory species that should not be combined with tankmates it can fit into its capacious mouth.”
- Breeding: “Has been achieved in the hobby, albeit infrequently.”
From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167
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.
Climate & lighting
| Water | 76–82°F |
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.
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.
Understanding the animal
About this animal
About this animal
It is the only known member of its genus.
Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Aristochromis” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174
In the wild
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 lakes. Uses both the bottom and open water. Found mainly in places where rock and sand form an intermediate biotope. Females which are solitary like males can enter the male's territory found among rocks, and spawn. |
| Water it lives in | Freshwater, 75–79 °F (24–26 °C), pH 7.4–8.4, hardness 7–30 dH, depth 2–10 m. |
| Climate | Tropical climate. |
| Wild diet | Hunting macrofauna (predator). |
What this means for care
- Keep water within its wild range, 75–79 °F.
Native climate (measured)
Native climate (measured)
| Warm-season highs | about 87°F (up to 90°F in the hottest sampled areas) |
| Cool-season lows | about 60°F (down to 57°F in the coldest sampled areas) |
| Average temperature | 73–76°F across sampled records |
| Relative humidity | 68–69% on average (driest month about 55%) |
| Rainfall | about 986 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons |
Measured at 22 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.
From the sources
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.
| Overview | Aristochromis christyi is a species of fish in the family Cichlidae, which is endemic to Lake Malawi in Africa. It is the only known member of its genus. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| 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 |
| Appearance and size | A. christyi has an elongated body and an enlarged, bulbous head. The female and juvenile A, christyi are similar to each other in colour having mainly silvery bodies marked with longitudinal black lines one from which runs from the nape to the tail and with the other along the base of the dorsal fin. — Wikipedia (community-edited) |
| Biology | Found mainly in places where rock and sand form an intermediate biotope. Females which are solitary like males can enter the male's territory found among rocks, and spawn. When feeding, it turns on its side to place its large, laterally compressed jaws into rocky cracks where it captures small fish that are sheltering there. — FishBase |
Data and studies
The numbers
The numbers
Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.
Adult length
Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.
Water temperature
Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.
Minimum tank footprint
Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 71 × 24 in (about 171 US gallons).
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.
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