All fish / Cichlidae

Blue Gold Fin Haplochromis

Copadichromis chrysonotus

Also known as copadichromis chrysonotus, haplochromis chrysonotus, blue goldfin hap, chrysonotus utaka, utaka, goldfin hap, lake malawi utaka, コパディクロミス・クリソノータス, 金背蓝帝

An open-water utaka cichlid from Lake Malawi that feeds on plankton in large shoals. Breeding males turn a deep blue, almost black, with a pale or golden edge to the dorsal fin and a few dark spots on the flank, while females are silvery grey with spots. It is kept for the striking male colour and because it is gentler than most mbuna.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

14 cm

Temperature

24 to 28 °C

pH

7.6 to 8.6

Smallest tank

300 litres

Keep as

One male with three or more females

Diet

Omnivore: zooplankton feeder, give quality pellets, flakes, mysis, brine shrimp and krill

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 10 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Lake Malawi (Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania)

Breeding

A maternal mouthbrooder: the male digs a spawning site, and the female carries the eggs and fry in her mouth for about three weeks. It breeds readily in a large, well-kept Malawi tank.

Good to know

Males can be territorial while breeding, so give it plenty of swimming space and keep it with calm haps and peacocks rather than boisterous mbuna. Avoid meaty, fatty diets because they can bring on Malawi bloat.