Chipokae Cichlid
Melanochromis chipokae
Cichlidae
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About
Two facts about this fish need stating before anything else, and neither is about colour. The first is temper. Seriously Fish's verdict is not hedged: it is 'arguably the most aggressive and territorial mbuna and a dominant male will almost always be the "boss" of any tank it is in'. The same profile says a very large tank is needed for more than one male 'and even then, it is likely that the sub-dominant male(s) will be killed', that several females must be kept per male, and that 'in smaller tanks even these will most likely be harassed to death'. Maidenhead Aquatics reaches the same place from a different direction, calling it 'a particularly belligerent example', asking for one male and at least five females, warning that the male 'has been known to kill female fish that are not receptive to his advances', and recommending it be the last fish added to a tank. This is not a community cichlid and it is not a beginner's fish. The second fact is conservation. FishBase records the IUCN assessment as Critically Endangered, assessed 21 May 2018, and Wikipedia's article - citing the same assessment by Konings - states that the aquarium trade 'is the main threat to this species and which has caused a 90% decline in the population'. FishBase says the same thing more carefully: 'It may have suffered over-fishing by collectors of ornamental fishes because this species was rather common in the aquarium hobby more than 20 years ago.' Buy captive-bred fish, and breed them if you can. Everything else follows from those two. It is a slim, pointed-headed hunter rather than a rock-scraper: Wikipedia calls it piscivorous, Seriously Fish places it in the group of Melanochromis 'often called "Pike Auratus"' which 'predate on the fry of other species', and the same page gives the field mark that separates females and young males from the far commoner M. auratus - 'its noticeably more pointed mouth', and caudal striping that runs through the whole fin instead of half of it. Adult males swap the golden juvenile dress for black and blue with a white-edged dorsal. Do not keep it with any other Melanochromis: Seriously Fish says so 'under any circumstances', because they hybridise. And beware the name M. loriae on a shop label - Seriously Fish says it is sometimes sold under it, and that loriae 'is, in fact, a distinct but very similar species found in the same area in Lake Malawi', not a synonym.
Care
A species tank, or a hard-bitten mbuna tank it joins last. Seriously Fish calls 120 x 45 x 37.5 cm - 200 litres - the 'absolute minimum due to its highly aggressive nature', and warns that in smaller tanks even the females 'will most likely be harassed to death'; AquaInfo asks for 150 cm for a single pair and 250 cm for more than one. A harem of one male and five females is not a single pair, so we gate at 150 cm and 350 litres and would go longer again. Fill it with rock piles forming many caves and visual barriers over sand, keep the water well oxygenated, and stock it deliberately crowded so no one fish can own the floor. Hard, alkaline Malawi water: pH 7.8-8.5, 10-25 dH, 25-27 C. One male to five or more females; a second male usually dies, and so do females in a tank too small to escape him. Tank mates must be robust mbuna of similar size and clearly different pattern - never peacocks, utaka or anything peaceful - and never another Melanochromis, which it hybridises with. Small fish are prey. Feed a varied diet with vegetable matter as a supplement rather than the bulk. Keep a lid on it, and buy captive-bred stock: the IUCN lists this species as Critically Endangered and names collection for the trade as the reason.
Diet
Omnivore with a real predatory streak - small fish, crustaceans and algae in the wild. A varied diet of live, frozen and good dried foods, with spirulina flake and blanched greens as a supplement rather than the staple. No feeder fish.
Tankmate compatibility
Possible with care (326)
Avoid (92)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- VentingStrong · only on a mature fish, easiest when she is in breeding condition
The method breeders use when the answer has to be right. Hold the fish upside down in a wet hand or soft net and look at the two openings ahead of the anal fin. The forward one is the anus; the one behind it is what you are reading.
- Egg spotsA hint only · from about 6 months
The yellow or orange ocelli on the anal fin of Malawi cichlids, traditionally explained as a lure that draws the female into mouthing them, fertilising the eggs she is already holding.
- Adult sizeA hint only · only across animals of the same age
In many cichlids, catfish and loaches one sex simply grows larger — usually the male, though there are well-known reversals.
Also in these lists
Similar species
Same category and the closest water parameters — if this species isn't quite it, start here.
Health
Disease guide entries relevant to this species — worth a read before you reach for medicine.
The full disease guide →Sold in Lithuania
These Lithuanian shops listed this species in their public catalogue (checked August 8, 2026). Stock moves — ask before you travel.
These links are unpaid: we get nothing for them and ask for nothing.
Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Chipokae Cichlid need?
- A Chipokae Cichlid needs an aquarium of at least 350 litres (92.5 US gallons) with a footprint at least 150 cm (59.1 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Chipokae Cichlid need?
- Chipokae Cichlid does best at 23–28 °C (73.4–82.4 °F), pH 7.3–8.8 and a general hardness of 8–25 °dGH.
- What group size does a Chipokae Cichlid need?
- Chipokae Cichlid is a social species — keep a group of at least 6 so natural behaviour emerges and stress stays low.
- Is the Chipokae Cichlid suitable for beginners?
- Chipokae Cichlid is a demanding species best attempted with some experience — it needs stable, closely watched conditions to thrive.