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
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Lower Negro and middle Amazon blackwaters
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

This is a tiny, slender dwarf cichlid for a mature blackwater tank, related to the popular apistogrammas. It lives near the bottom among leaf litter and roots. Keep it as a pair, or as one male with a couple of females in a larger tank, since two males will spar and fight in a small space. It is small and easily bullied, so keep no rough or boisterous tankmates; a quiet nano or species tank suits it best. Feed small live and frozen foods such as baby brine shrimp, daphnia, and cyclops, as it often refuses dry food. A well-established tank of at least 40 liters with soft, acidic water suits a pair.

In the wild

It lives in the blackwaters of the lower Rio Negro and the middle Amazon, slipping between leaf litter, roots, and dense vegetation in shallow, shaded margins. These are extreme blackwaters, so recreate very soft, strongly acidic water around pH 4.5 to 6.0 and a warm 24 to 28 C. Use a dark substrate, a deep layer of leaf litter and driftwood for tannins and cover, and dim lighting. The tank should be biologically mature before this delicate fish goes in.

Good to know

A member of the cichlid family, it is the only species in its genus, Taeniacara. It is a tiny fish, with males reaching only around 4 to 5 cm and females smaller, built on a slim, torpedo-shaped body. A single bold black stripe runs the length of the fish, and the genus name, from the word for a band or ribbon, refers to it. It is a cave-spawning dwarf cichlid of moderate breeding difficulty.

Did you know

The genus Taeniacara contains just this one species, set apart from its dwarf-cichlid cousins by a slim, almost pencil-like body and the single dark line, running nose to tail, that gives the blackstripe dwarf its name.

Tank mates

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