| Orange chromide | |
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| Orange chromide from the Bharathapuzha River, India | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Actinopterygii |
| Order: | Cichliformes |
| Family: | Cichlidae |
| Subfamily: | Etroplinae |
| Genus: | Pseudetroplus Bleeker, 1862 |
| Species: |
P. maculatus
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| Binomial name | |
| Pseudetroplus maculatus (Bloch, 1795) | |
| Synonyms[2] | |
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The orange chromide (Pseudetroplus maculatus ; more commonly Etroplus maculatus) is a speciesofcichlid fish that is endemictofreshwater and brackish streams, lagoons and estuaries in southern India and Sri Lanka.[3][4][5] It is also known as pallathi (Malayalam: പള്ളത്തി) in Malayalam. The species is popular with fishkeeping hobbyists, and is kept frequently in aquariums.[4][6] The species is part of the family Cichlidae and is included in subfamily Etroplinae. The orange chromide reaches a length of up to 8 cm (3.1 in).[5]
The species co-occurs throughout its range with the green chromide (Etroplus suratensis). Orange chromides prey on the eggs and larvae of the green chromide and also act as a "cleaner fish" removing parasites from the larger green chromides in a cleaning symbiosis.[4] The species also feeds on zooplankton and algae.[5]
Young orange chromides feed on mucous coating of their parents; this is essential for the small fry survival. During the feeding period, the parent fishes' mucous glands increase 34%.[7]
Media related to Pseudetroplus maculatus at Wikimedia Commons| Pseudetroplus maculatus |
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| Etroplus maculatus |
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