Remarks:  Buccochromis lepturus "Green", also known as the green slender tail hap, is a rare predatory hap that has only just recently begun to a get a footing within the hobby despite being wide-spread in Lake Malawi. These beautiful fish have humble beginnings with females and juveniles being mostly silver, occasionally also having yellow accents, with a black/dark brown slanted stripe starting at the front of the dorsal fin and extending down to the middle of the base of the caudal fin. Mature females occasionally get a blue tint, but in accordance with most African cichlids, the males are what most are after in regards to color. Mature, dominant males are a striking blue with yellow markings on the center of the body and fins. Sometimes in certain lighting, male green slender tail haps will have a green sheen which is what gave rise to their common name. This fantastic color does not just appear overnight, however. Green slender tail hap males usually do not begin displaying color until they are at least 9 inches in length. This makes sexing young fish at a glance and means some patience is needed when waiting for these cichlids to truly shine. Once you see a male on full display, it will be clear that it was well worth the wait.

  Like with most predator haps, the green slender tail hap will hunt and eat anything small enough to fit in its mouth. However, most note them to be rather mellow so long as their tankmates are the same size as them and there are no females present. It should be noted that with how big green slender tail haps grow with the females reaching about 12” and males being able to grow as large as 16,” they are capable of eating fish that are 6” long or smaller.  With these large sizes and the fact they are active swimmers that inhabit open-water environments in the wild, adults should be given a large amount of space with the aquarium being at least 6 feet long. A 150 gallon tank is sufficient for a small breeding group, however 200 gallons or more will be needed if housing them in a community setting. This will reduce not only aggression, but also stress resulting in less illness and conflicts as well as bring out natural behaviors.

  Breeding these predator haps is mostly straight forward. Green slender tail haps are best bred in a species only tank with at minimum 2-3 females for every male. Feeding a well-rounded diet and providing clean, hard, alkaline water will help encourage spawning. When ready, a male will dig a pit in the sand to entice a female. After the female lays the eggs and they are fertilized, she will pick them up in her mouth to mouthbrood them until the fry hatch and are free swimming. Unlike their open-water dwelling adult forms, juveniles tend to inhabit the shallows in the wild so those in captivity will benefit from being given lots of hiding places until they are older and more confident. Green slender tail haps with their brilliant colors and fascinating personalities make for a great breeding project or an uncommon addition to an all-male Lake Malawi cichlid community tank.