All fish / Cichlidae

Green Chromide

Etroplus suratensis

Also known as pearlspot, pearl spot, banded chromide, karimeen, green chromide cichlid, pearlspot cichlid, グリーンクロミデ, 绿宝丽鱼, 珍珠丽鱼

A deep-bodied cichlid with a greenish silver body, faint dark bars and rows of pale pearly spots on the flanks. It is kept for its calm, sociable nature and attractive colours in large brackish aquariums, and is also a prized food fish in Kerala.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

20 cm

Temperature

22 to 28 °C

pH

7.5 to 8.5

Smallest tank

400 litres

Keep as

Group of 5 or more, or a mated pair

Diet

Omnivore: algae, blanched vegetables, spirulina pellets, frozen shrimp and bloodworm

Swims

Middle of the tank

Lifespan

8 to 10 years

Water

Brackish

Wild range

Southern India and Sri Lanka (coastal lagoons, estuaries and rivers)

Breeding

Pairs clean a hard surface, lay adhesive eggs and guard both the eggs and the free-swimming fry, which feed partly on mucus from the parents' skin. Spawning is quite achievable in a large, mature brackish tank once a pair has formed.

Good to know

Grows large and does poorly long term in pure fresh water, so plan for a big brackish setup. Often sold as a small juvenile labelled as a freshwater fish.