Care
Otopharynx lithobates is known only from the southern part of Lake Malawi, where it is found around the Nankumba Peninsula and as far north as Chinyamwezi, Chinyankwazi, and Maleri Islands. Here it inhabits the rocky and intermediate habitats, showing a preference for shady caves. The aquarium should be at least 5ft long and aquascaped with an abundance of rocky areas including caves, and some thickets of Vallisneria or Anubias. Décor such as ocean rock can be used to build sturdy structures which stretch from the base of the tank to near the surface of the water. These structures should be built with the purpose of creating many crevices for the fish to explore but constructed in such a way so as to keep the rocks stable if the fish start to dig around and underneath them. Although a substrate of coral sand or Aragonite is often recommended to help to keep the water hard and alkaline, these fish feel safer and show better colours over a darker substrate. The Aragonite or coral sand can always be placed into a mesh bag and kept inside the external filter for buffering purposes. O. lithobates is a relatively peaceful species and can be kept in groups, ideally consisting of one male with a harem of several females. However, if the tank is particularly voluminous, multiple males can be kept together (again with several females allocated to each), but do provide them with an abundance of hiding places/visual barriers so they are able to set up individual territories. Aggression will increase when ready to spawn, so careful observation is required. Suitable tankmates could include relatively peaceful rift lake fish such as other Haps, Aulonocara species, some of the more mild-mannered Mbuna, or Synodontis catfish etc. A few different geographical colour variants are sometimes available, the most colourful and sought-after being the 'Zimbabwe Rock' form. May also be seen on sale as Sulphur/Sulfur-headed Hap.
Feeding
Offer a variety of meaty frozen foods. Smaller specimens will take mosquito larvae, vitamin-enriched brineshrimp, and Mysis shrimp, whilst larger fish will take krill, chopped prawns, etc. A good quality flake and appropriately sized cichlid pellets should also be provided.
Breeding
When ready to spawn, the colouration of the male will intensify and his aggression level will heighten. He will choose and clean a spawning site, then display to the female fish until one accepts him. They will circle each other in a head to tail manner a number of times, until the female deposits her eggs. These are deposited just one or two at a time and after doing so, she immediately turns around and picks them up. At the same time, the male will rotate so that he is almost on his side, at the same time shaking and extending his anal fin, releasing his milt. The female sees the egg spots on the male"™s anal fin and attempts to pick up those "œeggs" whilst she is picking up the real ones that she deposited, and at the same time taking in milt. This is the method of fertilisation, and this ritual may go on for some hours. The eggs may be incubated for up to 25 days until they hatch and the resultant fry held for a further few days afterwards.
