Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid
Apistogramma allpahuayo
Also known as Black chin apisto
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 75–82°F
- 24–28°C
- pH
- 4.5–6.5
- Adult size
- 2 in
- 5 cm
- Minimum tank
- 16 gal
- 60 L
- Temperament
- Mostly peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Breeding
- Medium
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Allpahuayo-Mishana reserve blackwaters near Iquitos, Loreto, Peru
Overview
The Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid is a small, mostly peaceful apisto for the bottom of a dim blackwater tank. It is a fish for a keeper with some experience.
Did you know
The Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid's entire known wild range sits inside one Peruvian nature reserve. That is why the species carries the reserve's name.
Caring for the Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid
A pair of Allpahuayo dwarf cichlids does well in 16 gal (60 L), with caves, leaf litter and gentle filtration. A small harem needs more floor space. Lay fine sand with botanicals and keep the light dim. Fit a tight lid, since startled apistos jump.
Use soft, acidic water at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 4.5 to 6.5. It looks washed out in hard, bright tanks and colors up dramatically in the right ones. Feed small live and frozen foods first, with quality sinking granules as a backup.
It is peaceful toward tank mates but firm about its caves. Pick small, surface-oriented company such as hatchetfish or pencilfish. It is moderately hard to breed.
Good to know
The Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid, Apistogramma allpahuayo, was described in 2012 by a large team led by Uwe Römer. It belongs to the cacatuoides lineage of the genus, in the family Cichlidae. Males carry a black chin and throat, which gave the fish its hobby name of black chin apisto before description.
In the wild
The Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid comes from blackwater streams inside the Allpahuayo-Mishana national reserve near Iquitos, Peru. There, tea-colored water runs over white sand and deep leaf litter. The reserve is famous for white-sand forest endemics.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks share a community profile with it, are safe together in both directions, and overlap on water type, temperature and pH.
Scherer's hatchetfish
Carnegiella schereri
Freshwater1 in (2.6 cm) · 14 gal (54 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Ceros tetra
Moenkhausia ceros
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Shelford's kuhli loach
Pangio shelfordii
Freshwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 15 gal (55 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Spotted splash tetra
Copella nattereri
Freshwater2 in (5 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Epicharis tetra
Hyphessobrycon epicharis
Freshwater1.6 in (4 cm) · 16 gal (60 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Kuhli loach
Pangio kuhlii
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 17 gal (65 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does an Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid need?
An Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid needs at least 16 gal (60 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does an Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid need?
An Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 4.5–6.5.
What does an Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid eat?
An Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid eats small live and frozen foods first, with quality sinking granules as a backup.
How big does an Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid get?
An adult Allpahuayo dwarf cichlid reaches about 2 in (5 cm).
Related species
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Apistogramma elizabethae
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