TankBud

Blackstripe dwarf cichlid

Taeniacara candidi

Also known as Torpedo dwarf cichlid, Candidi tetra cichlid, Black stripe dwarf cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Blackstripe dwarf cichlid (Taeniacara candidi)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
4.5–6.0
Adult size
1.6 in
4 cm
Minimum tank
11 gal
40 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Cave spawner · Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Lower Negro and middle Amazon blackwaters

Overview

The blackstripe dwarf cichlid is a tiny, slender fish for a mature blackwater tank, where it keeps low among leaf litter and roots. It is best kept by someone with a little experience.

Did you know

The blackstripe dwarf cichlid's genus name, Taeniacara, comes from a word for a band or ribbon. It refers to the single bold black stripe that runs from nose to tail.

Caring for the blackstripe dwarf cichlid

The blackstripe dwarf cichlid is delicate, so the tank should be biologically mature before it goes in. A pair needs at least 11 gal (40 L). Use a dark substrate, a deep layer of leaf litter, driftwood for tannins and cover, and dim lighting.

Give it very soft, strongly acidic water with a pH of 4.5 to 6.0, kept warm at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C). Feed small live and frozen foods such as baby brine shrimp, daphnia and cyclops, since it often refuses dry food.

Keep a pair, or one male with a couple of females in a larger tank. Two males will spar and fight in a small space. It is mostly peaceful but small and easily bullied, so keep no rough or boisterous tank mates. A quiet nano or species tank suits it best.

Males grow larger than females. Blackstripe dwarf cichlids spawn in caves, and breeding them is moderately difficult.

Good to know

The blackstripe dwarf cichlid is the only species in the genus Taeniacara, within the cichlid family. It is related to the popular apistogrammas, and its slim, torpedo-shaped body, almost pencil-like, sets it apart from those cousins.

In the wild

The blackstripe dwarf cichlid lives in the extreme blackwaters of the lower Rio Negro and the middle Amazon. It slips between leaf litter, roots and dense vegetation in shallow, shaded margins.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The blackstripe 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 blackstripe dwarf cichlid need?

A blackstripe dwarf cichlid needs at least 11 gal (40 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a blackstripe dwarf cichlid need?

A blackstripe dwarf cichlid is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 4.5–6.0.

What does a blackstripe dwarf cichlid eat?

A blackstripe dwarf cichlid eats small live and frozen foods, such as baby brine shrimp, daphnia and cyclops. It often refuses dry food.

How big does a blackstripe dwarf cichlid get?

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

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

Males grow larger than females.

How does a blackstripe dwarf cichlid breed?

The blackstripe dwarf cichlid spawns in caves. Breeding it is moderately difficult.

Related species