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Bigfin dwarf cichlid

Apistogramma megaptera

Also known as Orinoco pertensis

FreshwaterFish

Bigfin dwarf cichlid (Apistogramma megaptera)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
77–84°F
25–29°C
pH
4.8–6.3
Adult size
2.6 in
6.5 cm
Minimum tank
16 gal
60 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Cave spawner · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Upper Orinoco blackwaters of Colombia and Venezuela, including the Inirida and Atabapo

Overview

The bigfin dwarf cichlid is a shy apisto that needs genuinely soft blackwater, and it is best left to experienced keepers.

Did you know

Displaying males hoist a dorsal fin so tall that the fish seems to double in height. It looks like a sail raised over Orinoco sand.

Caring for the bigfin dwarf cichlid

Keep a pair of bigfin dwarf cichlids in 16 gal (60 L) or more of genuinely soft, warm blackwater. Furnish the tank with fine sand, leaf litter and sparse wood.

Hold the water at 77 to 84°F (25 to 29°C) and a pH of 4.8 to 6.3. The hardness should stay near zero for long-term health.

Make live and frozen foods the staple, since it accepts dry food unreliably. This apisto is mostly peaceful and a little shy, and it does best alongside small blackwater companions such as pencilfish.

Breeding is hard. It is classic cave spawning that only succeeds in very soft, acidic water. The fry start tiny and need infusoria-grade first foods.

Good to know

Mesa and Lasso described the bigfin dwarf cichlid in 2011. Its scientific name, megaptera, means big fin. It belongs to the pertensis group, the slender apistos of sand and leaf litter.

In the wild

The bigfin dwarf cichlid lives in the blackwater rivers of the upper Orinoco in Colombia and Venezuela, including the Inirida and Atabapo. It swims over white sand stained by tannins, in water that is hot, acidic and nearly empty of minerals. These are the same blackwater systems that produce altum angels and green neons.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The bigfin 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.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a bigfin dwarf cichlid need?

A bigfin dwarf cichlid needs at least 16 gal (60 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a bigfin dwarf cichlid need?

A bigfin dwarf cichlid is comfortable at 77–84°F (25–29°C) with a pH of 4.8–6.3.

What does a bigfin dwarf cichlid eat?

A bigfin dwarf cichlid eats live and frozen foods as its staple. It accepts dry food only unreliably.

How big does a bigfin dwarf cichlid get?

An adult bigfin dwarf cichlid reaches about 2.6 in (6.5 cm).

How does a bigfin dwarf cichlid breed?

A bigfin dwarf cichlid is a classic cave spawner, and breeding only succeeds in very soft, acidic water. The fry start tiny and need infusoria-grade first foods.

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