Ortega's dwarf cichlid

Apistogramma ortegai

Also known as Pebas apisto, Papagei apisto

FreshwaterFish

Ortega's dwarf cichlid (Apistogramma ortegai) — (c) Avt, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–82°F (24–28°C)
pH: 5.0–6.8
Adult size: 2.6 in (6.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 16 gal (60 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Rio Ampiyacu drainage near Pebas, Loreto, Peru
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

A pair in 60 liters, or a harem in more, settles quickly and feeds on frozen and dry foods without complaint. It is a steady cave spawner in soft water and among the more forgiving Peruvian apistos for a keeper's first breeding project. Keep the tank shaded and the tankmates calm, and the male will hold display color most of the day.

In the wild

This species comes from the Ampiyacu drainage near Pebas in northern Peru, in soft, tannin-tinted forest streams over litter and sand. It splits its time between litter banks and open patches. A 60-liter tank with sand, leaves, caves, and water at 24 to 28 degrees Celsius, pH 5.0 to 6.8, covers its needs comfortably.

Good to know

Apistogramma ortegai was described in 2014 by Britzke, Oliveira and Kullander and named for the Peruvian ichthyologist Hernan Ortega. It reaches about 6.5 centimeters and anchors a small complex of Pebas-area forms the hobby traded for years as papagei or Pebas apistos. Males wear zigzag flank markings and a boldly barred tail.

Did you know

Before its 2014 description this fish circulated under at least three different hobby names, and old shop lists still sell it as the papagei apisto.

Tank mates

Ortega's dwarf cichlid is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.