{{Short description|Species of fish endemic to Southern India and Sri Lanka}} {{Speciesbox | image = Etroplus Maculatus.JPG | image_caption = Orange chromide from the Bharathapuzha River, India | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 |status_ref=<ref>{{cite iucn|author1=Abraham, R.|author2=de Alwis Goonatilake, S.|author3=Fernado, M.|author4=Kotagama, O.|year=2019|title=''Etroplus maculatus''|article-number=e.T172481A60632931|doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-3.RLTS.T172481A60632931.en|access-date=5 December 2023}}</ref> | taxon = Pseudetroplus maculatus | display_parents = 3 | parent_authority = Bleeker, 1862 | authority = (Bloch, 1795) | synonyms = *''Etroplus maculatus'' <small>(Bloch, 1795)</small> *''Chaetodon maculatus'' <small>Bloch, 1795</small> *''Etroplus coruchi'' <small>Cuvier, 1830</small> *''Glyphisodon kakaitsel'' <small>Lacepède, 1802</small> *''Glyphisodon koruschi'' <small>Cuvier, 1830</small> |synonyms_ref=<ref>{{GBIF|taxon=''Etroplus maculatus'' (Bloch, 1795)|id=2372831|access-date=8 December 2023}}</ref> }}

The '''orange chromide''' ('''''Pseudetroplus maculatus''''') is a species of cichlid endemic to freshwater and brackish streams, lagoons and estuaries of southern India and Sri Lanka.<ref name="Pethiyagoda2014">Pethiyagoda, R., Maduwage, K. & Manamendra-Arachchi, K. (2014): Validation of the South Asian cichlid genus ''Pseudetroplus'' Bleeker (Pisces: Cichlidae). ''Zootaxa, 3838 (5): 595–600''.</ref><ref name="Loiselle">{{cite book |last=Loiselle |first=P.V. |title=The Cichlid Aquarium |year=1995 |publisher=Tetra Press |location=Germany |isbn=1-56465-146-0}}</ref><ref name=fishbase>{{FishBase |genus= Etroplus|species= maculatus| month = April | year = 2017}}</ref> It is popular with fishkeeping hobbyists,<ref name="Loiselle"/><ref name="baensch">{{cite book |author1=Riehl, R.. |author2=Baensch, H.A. |name-list-style=amp |title=Aquarium Atlas |year=1995 |publisher=Tetra Press |location=Germany |isbn=3-88244-050-3}}</ref> and reaches a length of up to {{convert|8|cm|in|abbr=on}}.<ref name=fishbase/>

== Names == The specific epithet of this species, ''maculatus'', is Latin for "spotted", and is a reference to the large black spot on the upper flanks. In Malayalam, it is known as pallathi (പള്ളത്തി).

==Diet== [[File:Etroplus maculatus Pierrefitte-Nestalas Aquarium.JPG|thumbnail|left|The selectively bred bright orange-yellow variant often seen in the aquarium trade]] This species co-occurs throughout its range with the green chromide (''Etroplus suratensis'') and preys on the eggs and larvae of the latter. Additionally, it removes parasites from the larger green chromide; this is an example of cleaning symbiosis.<ref name="Loiselle"/> This species also feeds on zooplankton and algae.<ref name=fishbase/>

==Parental care== Young orange chromides feed on the mucous coating of their parents; this is essential for their survival. During the feeding period, the parent fishes' mucous gland secretions increase by 34%.<ref name=Gerking>{{cite book|last1=Gerking|first1=Shelby D.|title=Feeding Ecology of Fish|date=Apr 25, 2014|publisher=Elsevier|page=286|isbn=978-1-4832-8852-9}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== *{{Commons category-inline|Etroplus maculatus|Pseudetroplus maculatus}}

{{Taxonbar|from1=Q107326798|from2=Q861782}}

Orange chromide Category:Cichlid fish of Asia <!-- Category:Monotypic freshwater fish genera moved to species redirect --> Category:Mucous feeding fish Category:Fish described in 1795 Category:Taxa named by Marcus Elieser Bloch