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No federal permit to keep

Stripeback hap

Buccochromis nototaenia

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

The stripeback hap (Buccochromis nototaenia) is a species of freshwater fish in the tribe Haplochromini, a part of the subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae of the family Cichlidae. It is endemic to Lake Malawi and Lake Malombe and is found in Malawi,…

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

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FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 9.1 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 48 in long and 18 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 9.1 in / 23 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.

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 47 × 18 in (roughly 64 US gallons); space needed is rated “large tank”.
Water: hard, alkaline water, 75–81 °F, pH 7.5–8.8, 10–25 dGH.
Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Decor isn't really important, as this is a pelagic roamer.”
Diet: “Piscivorous by nature but adapts well to prepared foods in captivity.”
Tankmates: “It's not particularly aggressive with anything too large to fit in its mouth.”
Breeding: “Possibly not yet achieved in the hobby.”

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

Some authorities classify Buccochromis atritaeniatus and Buccochromis oculatus as junior synonyms of B. nototaenia but this is not followed by FishBase.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Stripeback hap” (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. Uses both the bottom and open water. Stays at an average depth of 10 m in offshore sandy beaches and chases juvenile sand-dwelling cichlids over the open sand.
Water it lives in	Freshwater.
Climate	Tropical climate.

FishBase species summary: Buccochromis nototaenia

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 87°F (up to 90°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 58°F (down to 54°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	71–75°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	67–69% on average (driest month about 54%)
Rainfall	about 1230 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

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	The stripeback hap (Buccochromis nototaenia) is a species of freshwater fish in the tribe Haplochromini, a part of the subfamily Pseudocrenilabrinae of the family Cichlidae. It is endemic to Lake Malawi and Lake Malombe and is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Some authorities classify Buccochromis atritaeniatus and Buccochromis oculatus as junior synonyms of B. nototaenia but this is not followed by FishBase. — 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
Biology	Stays at an average depth of 10 m in offshore sandy beaches and chases juvenile sand-dwelling cichlids over the open sand. — 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 sources9in

FishBase 1649.1

Seriously Fish species profiles 1678.9

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

Water temperature

Reported75–81°F

Seriously Fish species profiles 16775–81

Range the species tolerates; aim for the middle.

pH

Reported7.5–8.8

Seriously Fish species profiles 1677.5–8.8

Water hardness

Reported10–25dGH

Seriously Fish species profiles 16710–25

Minimum tank footprint

Reported47in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16747

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 47 × 18 in (about 64 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)

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.