TankBud

Uaupes dwarf cichlid

Apistogramma uaupesi

Also known as Rotkeil apisto, Red-wedge apisto

FreshwaterFish

Uaupes dwarf cichlid (Apistogramma uaupesi)

Care at a glance

Temperature
79–86°F
26–30°C
pH
4.0–5.8
Adult size
1.6 in
4 cm
Minimum tank
15 gal
55 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Difficult
Breeding
Hard
Rarity
Common
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Rio Uaupes and upper Rio Negro blackwaters, Brazil

Overview

The Uaupes dwarf cichlid is a blackwater specialist for experienced keepers who enjoy water chemistry. It is one of the prettiest small cichlids in the Amazon.

Did you know

The Uaupes dwarf cichlid's wild water is often more acidic than black coffee. The fish is so at home there that its eggs refuse to develop in anything gentler.

Caring for the Uaupes dwarf cichlid

Keep a pair of Uaupes dwarf cichlids in 15 gal (55 L) or more. Furnish the tank to match its home, with sand, deep leaf litter and dim light. They spend their time near the bottom.

Reverse osmosis water, botanicals and patience are standard equipment for this fish. Keep the water hot and extremely soft, at 79 to 86°F (26 to 30°C) with a pH of 4.0 to 5.8. Feed small live and frozen foods.

It is mostly peaceful, but keep only tiny tank mates or none at all. Males carry a triangle of red in the tail. Spawning only succeeds near the acidic extreme, and the tiny fry want infusoria first. Breeding them is hard.

Good to know

Kullander described the Uaupes dwarf cichlid in 1980. It is famous in the hobby as the Rotkeil, the red wedge, after the male's tail. Wild males vary from smoke gray to violet, depending on the river and their mood.

In the wild

The Uaupes dwarf cichlid is a true blackwater fish of the Rio Uaupes and the upper Rio Negro in Brazil. It lives in water the color of strong tea, with pH readings that can start with a 4. It shelters in leaf litter over white sand. Few apistos come from more acidic water, and its home streams are among the softest habitats fish live in anywhere.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The Uaupes 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 an Uaupes dwarf cichlid need?

An Uaupes dwarf cichlid needs at least 15 gal (55 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does an Uaupes dwarf cichlid need?

An Uaupes dwarf cichlid is comfortable at 79–86°F (26–30°C) with a pH of 4.0–5.8.

What does an Uaupes dwarf cichlid eat?

An Uaupes dwarf cichlid eats small live and frozen foods.

How big does an Uaupes dwarf cichlid get?

An adult Uaupes dwarf cichlid reaches about 1.6 in (4 cm).

How can you tell a male Uaupes dwarf cichlid from a female?

Males carry a triangle of red in the tail, the red wedge behind the trade name Rotkeil.

How does an Uaupes dwarf cichlid breed?

Uaupes dwarf cichlids spawn only near the acidic extreme of their pH range. The tiny fry want infusoria as a first food, and breeding them is hard.

Related species