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No federal permit to keep

Lake Malawi utaka

Copadichromis virginalis

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Copadichromis virginalis is a species of haplochromine cichlid, which is endemic to Lake Malawi the upper Shire River and to Lake Malombe.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

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FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 5.2 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 5.2 in / 13.2 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Layout: Lives on or near the bottom: floor space and hiding places matter more than height.
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 59 × 18 in (roughly 80 US gallons); space needed is rated “very large tank”.
Water: hard, alkaline water, 77–84 °F, pH 7.5–8.5, 10–25 dGH.
Behaviour: temperament peaceful; a shoaling fish best kept in a group of six or more.
Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “As it's an open water species it needs plenty of swimming space.”
Diet: “Copadichromis are specialised zooplankton feeders, although they usually prove to be unfussy in captivity.”
Tankmates: “A generally peaceful species, even by Copadichromis standards.”
Breeding: “It's a maternal mouthbrooder that utilises a similar breeding strategy to others in the genus.”

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. The population has shown signs of a severe decline and is under pressure from overfishing for food, in 2018 this led to the IUCN changing its status from Data Deficient to Near Threatened.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Copadichromis virginalis” (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. Stays near the bottom. Demersal, sand-dwelling species.
Water it lives in	Freshwater.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Wild diet	Hunting macrofauna (predator).
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: external brooders.

FishBase species summary: Copadichromis virginalis

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 87°F (up to 90°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 60°F (down to 56°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	71–76°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	67–70% on average (driest month about 55%)
Rainfall	about 1238 mm a year, with strong wet and dry seasons

Measured at 23 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.

Overview	Copadichromis virginalis is a species of haplochromine cichlid, which is endemic to Lake Malawi the upper Shire River and to Lake Malombe. It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania. The population has shown signs of a severe decline and is under pressure from overfishing for food, in 2018 this led to the IUCN changing its status from Data Deficient to Near Threatened. The form which occurs outside Lake Malawi does not breed in rocky areas whereas those in Lake Malawi use a rock habitat, these may be different species. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
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
Reproduction	Annual breeding season is brief. Females brood young or show development of the buccal brood pouch. — FishBase
Appearance and size	Maximum length 13.2 cm tl male/unsexed. — FishBase
Biology	Demersal, sand-dwelling species. — 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 sources5.2in

FishBase 1645.2

Seriously Fish species profiles 1675.1

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

Water temperature

Reported77–84°F

Seriously Fish species profiles 16777–84

Range the species tolerates; aim for the middle.

pH

Reported7.5–8.5

Seriously Fish species profiles 1677.5–8.5

Water hardness

Reported10–25dGH

Seriously Fish species profiles 16710–25

Minimum tank footprint

Reported59in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16759

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 59 × 18 in (about 80 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.