Orange chromide
A small golden cichlid from the estuaries of southern India, one of only a handful of cichlids native to Asia, and one that eats parasites from the flanks of its larger relative in the wild. It tolerates fresh water and does visibly better with some salt.
Quick profile
- Scientific name
- Etroplus maculatus
- Adult size
- 7–9 cm (2.8–3.5 in)
- Lifespan
- 4–6 years
- Temperature
- 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- pH
- 7.2–8.2
- Hardness
- 10–22 °dGH
- Minimum tank
- 100 L (26 US gal)
- Minimum length
- 80 cm
- Swimming zone
- All levels
- Social
- Loose group — at least 4
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Overall confidence
- moderate confidence
What keeping this species involves
Straightforward to feed and to breed. The complication is salinity: it is sold as a freshwater fish, survives as one, and the keepers who report the best results are not keeping it as one.
Estuarine lagoons and brackish backwaters, with populations also occurring in fresh water above the tidal reach.
Identity and names
- Common name
- Orange chromide
- Scientific name
- Etroplus maculatus
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Order
- Cichliformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Also sold as
- Etroplus maculatus, Pseudetroplus maculatus, orange chromide cichlid
- Former or synonymous names
- Pseudetroplus maculatus
Name ambiguity
Moved by several authors to Pseudetroplus along with the green chromide. GBIF's backbone retains Etroplus, which is the placement this catalogue follows, and the alternative combination is searchable.
Adult size and growth
7–9 cm (2.8–3.5 in)
Typical lifespan in an aquarium: 4–6 years. Almost every animal sold in a shop is a juvenile, so the tank has to suit the size in the first line rather than the size in the bag.
Shape, which is what the compatibility engine reads instead of length alone: deep-bodied with a moderate. Assigned from what is typical of Cichlidae, not examined for this species.
Water and tank requirements
A small cichlid that pairs and holds a spawning territory, kept in groups so pairs can form. The length is for the group rather than for the fish.
Temperature (°C)
Scale: 0 to 36 °C.
pH (pH)
Scale: 4 to 9.5 pH.
Hardness (°dGH)
Scale: 0 to 30 °dGH.
Why these ranges: An estuarine species found across a salinity gradient. The published band is the hard alkaline end of its range, which is where captive fish are most consistently reported to hold condition; the species survives soft fresh water and is not at its best in it.
Where these figures come from
Habitat class
Brackish and estuarine
Water where fresh meets salt — estuaries, mangrove, tidal creeks and coastal lagoons — with salinity that changes with the tide.
Salinity is a requirement, not a tolerance, for the species genuinely from here — and the commonest way these animals are killed is being sold and kept as freshwater fish.
- Conductivity
- 2000–35000 µS/cm
- Salinity
- 1–20 ppt
- Flow
- variable
- Dissolved oxygen
- moderate
- Seasonality
- moderate
These are figures for the KIND of water body, not measurements of this species. They are AquariumHQ’s summary of the general limnology and are given wide because the water is.
- TemperatureReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
- pHReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
- General hardnessReasoned on this record
- This record states its own reason for this band. See the water section.
| Requirement | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 23–28 °C (73–82 °F) | Stability matters more than hitting an exact figure. |
| pH | 7.2–8.2 | A stable pH outside the ideal band is usually better than an unstable one inside it. |
| General hardness | 10–22 °dGH | Check your supplier's published figure before choosing species. |
| Minimum volume | 100 L (26 US gal) | A floor, not a recommendation. |
| Minimum footprint | 80 cm long × 35 cm deep | A small cichlid that pairs and holds a spawning territory, kept in groups so pairs can form. The length is for the group rather than for the fish. |
| Water flow | low | Match the outflow to this rather than to the filter's rating. |
| Lid required | Recommended | Reduces evaporation and prevents accidents. |
| Structure | Sand, rock and salt-tolerant planting or hardscape. Flat surfaces for spawning and some cover for unpaired fish. |
Behaviour
- Picks at surfaces and at the flanks of larger fish, which is a feeding behaviour rather than aggression and is occasionally mistaken for one.
- Pairs clean a spawning site over several days and remain within a short distance of it once eggs are laid.
Telling males from females
Males are larger and more intensely orange with black pelvic fins; females are rounder-bodied and paler. The difference sharpens in breeding condition.
Feeding
Takes small invertebrates, algae and, in the wild, parasites picked from the skin of the green chromide. A varied diet including some vegetable matter suits it.
- Diet type
- Omnivore
- Staples
- Frozen brine shrimp, Cichlid flake, Frozen bloodworm, Spirulina flake
Breeding
- Strategy
- Adhesive eggs on a hard surface, guarded by both parents
- Difficulty
- straightforward
- Parental care
- guarding
Fry feed on mucus secreted by the parents' flanks in the first days, a behaviour shared with discus and rare outside it.
Tankmates and compatibility
Assessments are derived from stored traits by the compatibility engine, with the reasoning shown. A verdict is a statement about probability, not a guarantee — individual temperament can override it.
| Towards | Risk | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Small fish | low | Anything that fits in the mouth is at risk once this species reaches adult size. |
| Adult dwarf shrimp | high | Cover reduces losses but rarely prevents them where the risk is high. |
| Shrimplets | near-certain | Determines whether a shrimp colony can grow rather than merely persist. |
| Snails | low | Applies to snails you wanted as well as snails you did not. |
| Long or trailing fins | occasional | Fin damage is an entry point for secondary infection. |
| Plants | nibbles | Tough species such as Anubias and Java fern survive most grazers. |
Any pair in the catalogue can be assessed with the compatibility checker.
Welfare considerations
Points where the way this species is commonly sold or kept differs from what it actually needs.
- Often sold from freshwater shop tanks with no mention of its estuarine origin. It will live in fresh water; reports of colour, disease resistance and longevity are consistently better with light brackish conditions.
- Susceptible to whitespot in soft fresh water in a way it is not in brackish conditions, which is one of the clearest practical arguments for keeping it as what it is.
Problems to watch for
Most problems in a tank containing this species are general rather than species-specific. Start with the troubleshooting index and work from the observation rather than from a guess at the cause.
What AquariumHQ does not yet hold
Species-level disease susceptibility is modelled in the graph and is not yet populated. Health pages will not be published until each condition has veterinary sourcing, because health content written without evidence is the most harmful thing this product could publish. The gap is recorded in the coverage report.
Where it comes from
- Native range
- India and Sri Lanka — coastal lagoons, estuaries and lower river reaches
- Habitat
- Estuarine lagoons and brackish backwaters, with populations also occurring in fresh water above the tidal reach.
What the checklists say
3 distribution statements retrieved from GBIF checklists. Establishment means is reproduced from the source where it states one, and left unstated where it does not — a record of presence is not a record of origin.
| Status | Places | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| Introduced | 2 | A checklist states the species arrived here with human help. That is not a statement that it is established, harmful or illegal. |
| Recorded as present, establishment means not stated | 1 | The source records the species as present and does not say whether it is native or introduced. AquariumHQ does not fill that in. |
No checklist AquariumHQ holds positively calls this species native anywhere, so the native range above rests on AquariumHQ’s own reading of the literature rather than on a cited checklist.
Evidence
Every stored value with the kind of support behind it and where to check it. Evidence type and confidence are separate axes: an editorial position held confidently and a measurement held tentatively are different things.
| Claim | Value | Evidence type | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| scientific name | Etroplus maculatus | Observed / measured | high confidence | Catalogue of Life; GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| native range | India and Sri Lanka — coastal lagoons, estuaries and lower river reaches | Observed / measured | moderate confidence | GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| adult size | 7–9 cm | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| lifespan | 4–6 years | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| temperature | 23–28 °C | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| ph | 7.2–8.2 pH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| general hardness | 10–22 °dGH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank volume | ≥ 100 L | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank length | ≥ 80 cm | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum group size | ≥ 4 | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
Last reviewed 2026-08-10. Values labelled as an aquarium-literature consensus are AquariumHQ editorial positions rather than measurements — see how evidence is handled.
Why we say this
What each figure on this page rests on, and how far that is from being independently established.
Every figure on this page has a provenance. Open any claim to see what AquariumHQ holds for it, which sources say what, and what a claim of that kind actually needs. Different claims need different evidence: an accepted scientific name is settled by one authority, while a legal restriction needs a current primary instrument. A single source is often the right answer rather than a thin one.
scientific nameAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: accepted scientific name and classification — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. Checked against gbif on 2026-08-29. One authoritative backbone is what this class requires.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
native rangeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: where the species occurs — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. 3 distribution statements held from GBIF checklists — introduced in 2 country. Establishment means is reproduced from the source, never inferred from occurrence.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
adult sizeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: size a well-kept specimen reaches — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
lifespanAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
temperatureAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
phAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
general hardnessAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
minimum tank volumeAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
minimum tank lengthAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
minimum group sizeAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: group size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
Guides relevant to this species
Chosen from this record's own traits rather than listed on every page.
- Schooling and shoalingThis species is recorded as loose group, and the number it is kept in decides how it behaves.
- Predator and prey sizeIt takes adult dwarf shrimp, which decides what can share the tank.
- Scientific and trade namesThis species has been published under more than one accepted name.
- Wild conditions and aquarium recommendationsThe water band on this page is an AquariumHQ position with a stated reason, not a measurement of a river.
- How to read a compatibility verdictThis animal is recorded as nipping fins, which is one of the few compatibility factors with real reports behind it.
Group size and social behaviour
Lives in loose groups that resolve into pairs at spawning. Outside breeding it is one of the more sociable cichlids and the group can be kept together.