TankBud

Piaroa dwarf cichlid

Apistogramma piaroa

Also known as Ventuari apisto

FreshwaterFish

Piaroa dwarf cichlid (Apistogramma piaroa)

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
Cave spawner · Hard
Rarity
Common
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Middle Orinoco tributaries around the Rio Ventuari, Venezuela

Overview

The Piaroa dwarf cichlid is a soft-water apisto that keeps near the bottom of the tank. It suits a keeper who has already kept an easier fish or two.

Did you know

Piaroa dwarf cichlid males top their tails in red, in the style of macmasteri. Shipments sometimes reach shops mislabeled as that far commoner species, until someone counts the face stripes.

Caring for the Piaroa dwarf cichlid

Keep a pair of Piaroa dwarf cichlids in 16 gal (60 L) of soft, warm, acidic water. Set the tank up over sand with a generous leaf layer, twiggy cover, caves and a quiet flow.

Hold the temperature at 77 to 84°F (25 to 29°C) and the pH at 4.8 to 6.5. It feeds on small frozen and live foods and adapts to fine granules. This mostly peaceful apisto is safe to keep with community fish.

Venezuelan fish barely reach the trade, so treat any pair as breeding stock. Condition the fish gently and let them spawn in caves. Expect the female to run the show while the male patrols, and expect breeding to be hard.

Good to know

Mesa and Lasso described the Piaroa dwarf cichlid in 2011 and named it for the Piaroa people of the Orinoco. It belongs to the macmasteri lineage.

In the wild

The Piaroa dwarf cichlid lives in litter-filled streams and lagoon edges of the middle Orinoco, around the Ventuari confluence in Venezuela. The water there is warm, soft and stained. These rivers sit in the same blackwater region that gives the hobby its Orinoco altum angels.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Piaroa 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 Piaroa dwarf cichlid need?

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

What temperature and pH does a Piaroa dwarf cichlid need?

A Piaroa dwarf cichlid is comfortable at 77–84°F (25–29°C) with a pH of 4.8–6.5.

What does a Piaroa dwarf cichlid eat?

A Piaroa dwarf cichlid feeds on small frozen and live foods, and it adapts to fine granules.

How big does a Piaroa dwarf cichlid get?

An adult Piaroa dwarf cichlid reaches about 2.2 in (5.5 cm).

How does a Piaroa dwarf cichlid breed?

A Piaroa dwarf cichlid spawns in caves, with the female running the show while the male patrols. Condition the pair gently, and expect breeding to be hard.

Related species