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No federal permit to keep

Malawi Trout Cichlid

Champsochromis caeruleus

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Champsochromis caeruleus is a species of fish in the family Cichlidae.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

Malawi Trout Cichlid — Photo: (c) Klaus Rudloff, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), CC BY-SA 4.0, via iNaturalist

Photo: (c) Klaus Rudloff, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), CC BY-SA 4.0, via iNaturalist

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 12.8 in

WaterFreshwater

HabitatLives in freshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 66 in long and 24 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 12.7 in / 32.2 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 75–79°F (range recorded for this species).
pH: 7.5–8.3.
Hardness: 5–30 dGH.
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Tank: a base of at least 71 × 24 in (roughly 171 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
Water: hard, alkaline water, 75–81 °F, pH 7.5–8.5, 10–30 dGH.
Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Tank decoration is not really important as the species is pelagic in nature.”
Diet: “It's a pursuit predator and in nature feeds mainly on the small Malawi Sardine, Engraulicypris sardella.”
Tankmates: “It's not especially aggressive with anything too large to fit in its mouth, but once you've seen the yawn of an adult specimen it will quickly become clear that the choices are limited.”
Breeding: “Has been achieved in the hobby, albeit infrequently.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

Lake Malawi peacocks and haps

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Open water and sand of Lake Malawi. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Hard, alkaline water (pH 7.8–8.6), a long tank (5 ft+ for larger haps) with open sand and some rock.
Generally less aggressive than mbuna; males color up best with several females.

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Climate & lighting

Water

76–82°F

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Diet

For Aulonocara stuartgranti, use small prepared foods with some vegetable content and varied small live/frozen invertebrates. Match other haps to their own feeding ecology.

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Health watch

Do not diagnose bloat from a label such as “mbuna-style food”; Aulonocara stuartgranti diets can include vegetable foods. Match food and tankmates to the species.

Sources 117 119 164 118 272

Understanding the animal

About this animal

It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. Its natural habitat is freshwater lakes.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Champsochromis caeruleus” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater, in lakes. Uses both the bottom and open water. Occurs in the open water; observed over rocks as well as over open sand; and feeds on fish.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 75–79 °F (24–26 °C), pH 7.5–8.3, hardness 5–30 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Wild diet	Hunting macrofauna (predator).

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 75–79 °F.

FishBase species summary: Champsochromis caeruleus

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 87°F (up to 90°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 59°F (down to 55°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	70–75°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	67–69% on average (driest month about 55%)
Rainfall	about 1161 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons

Measured at 16 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Biology	Occurs in the open water; observed over rocks as well as over open sand; and feeds on fish. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Average of sources12.8in

FishBase 16412.7

Seriously Fish species profiles 16712.8

Maximum recorded length. Measured as total length. Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources75–80°F

FishBase 16475–79

Seriously Fish species profiles 16775–81

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Average of sources7.5–8.4

FishBase 1647.5–8.3

Seriously Fish species profiles 1677.5–8.5

Water hardness

Average of sources7.5–30dGH

FishBase 1645–30

Seriously Fish species profiles 16710–30

Minimum tank footprint

Reported71in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16771

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 71 × 24 in (about 171 US gallons).

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial; AquariumFishII=based mainly on breeding)

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Nutritional diseases of fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Seriously Fish — Aulonocara stuartgranti Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.