Piaroa dwarf cichlid

Apistogramma piaroa

Also known as Ventuari apisto

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 77–84°F (25–29°C)
pH: 4.8–6.5
Adult size: 2.2 in (5.5 cm)
Minimum tank: 16 gal (60 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Hard
Rarity: Common
Origin: Middle Orinoco tributaries around the Rio Ventuari, Venezuela
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

A pair in 60 liters of soft, warm, acidic water with caves and litter is the right frame. It feeds on small frozen and live foods and adapts to fine granules. Venezuelan fish barely reach the trade, so treat any pair as breeding stock: condition gently, spawn in caves, and expect the female to run the show while the male patrols.

In the wild

This species lives in litter-filled streams and lagoon edges of the middle Orinoco around the Ventuari confluence in Venezuela, in warm, soft, stained water. Set it up over sand with a generous leaf layer, twiggy cover, and quiet flow at 25 to 29 degrees Celsius and pH 4.8 to 6.5.

Good to know

Described by Mesa and Lasso in 2011 and named for the Piaroa people of the Orinoco, this apisto reaches about 5.5 centimeters. It belongs to the macmasteri lineage, showing the group's red-topped tail in males. Its home rivers sit in the same blackwater region that gives the hobby its Orinoco altum angels.

Did you know

Males top their tails in macmasteri-style red, and shipments occasionally reach shops mislabeled as that far commoner species until someone counts the face stripes.

Tank mates

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