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Checkerboard crenicara

Crenicara punctulata

Also known as Checkerboard cichlid punctulata, Sexchange checkerboard, Hermaphrodite checkerboard cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Checkerboard crenicara (Crenicara punctulata)
The Wet Spot Tropical Fish · Used with permission

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
5.0–7.0
Adult size
3.9 in
10 cm
Minimum tank
20 gal
75 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Bottom
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Medium
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Upper Amazon terra firme streams

Overview

The checkerboard crenicara is a peaceful, rather shy dwarf cichlid for the bottom of a quiet tank. It is a step up from the easiest fish.

Did you know

Every checkerboard crenicara starts life as a female, and it is one of very few aquarium fish that change sex. If the only male in a group is removed or lost, the strongest female becomes a functional male. She takes on male color and behavior and steps into the vacant role.

Caring for the checkerboard crenicara

Keep checkerboard crenicaras in a small group, where they sort out their own gentle pecking order. A quiet, mature tank of at least 20 gal (75 L) suits a group. Give them a fine sand floor, tangles of wood, planting and leaf litter to retreat into, and dim lighting.

Keep the water soft and acidic, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.0 to 7.0. The checkerboard crenicara is sensitive to poor water and to sudden changes, so a stable, well-aged tank matters more than decoration.

It stays near the bottom, picking through the sand for small foods. Offer sinking micro-pellets and frozen foods such as daphnia and baby brine shrimp that reach the floor. It is easily out-competed, so keep it only with calm, small tank mates.

Females ready to spawn show bright orange in the ventral fins. Breeding it is moderately difficult.

Good to know

The checkerboard crenicara, Crenicara punctulata, is a South American dwarf cichlid in the family Cichlidae. It is marked with a double row of dark blotches, which give the checkerboard its name.

In the wild

The checkerboard crenicara lives in clear, shaded forest streams of the upper Amazon. These streams run over sand and drifts of fallen leaves, in very soft, acidic water.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The checkerboard crenicara 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 checkerboard crenicara need?

A checkerboard crenicara needs at least 20 gal (75 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.

What temperature and pH does a checkerboard crenicara need?

A checkerboard crenicara is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.0–7.0.

What does a checkerboard crenicara eat?

A checkerboard crenicara picks through the sand near the bottom for small foods. Offer it sinking micro-pellets and frozen foods such as daphnia and baby brine shrimp.

How big does a checkerboard crenicara get?

An adult checkerboard crenicara reaches about 3.9 in (10 cm).

How can you tell a male checkerboard crenicara from a female?

Females ready to spawn show bright orange in their ventral fins.

Related species