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
Origin: Upper Amazon terra firme streams
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

The checkerboard crenicara is a peaceful, rather shy dwarf cichlid that does best in a small group, where the fish sort out their own gentle pecking order. It stays near the bottom, picking through fine sand for small foods, so offer sinking micro-pellets and frozen items like daphnia and baby brineshrimp that reach the floor. It is easily out-competed, so keep it only with calm, small tankmates and give it planting and leaf litter to retreat into. A quiet, mature tank of around 75 liters or more, with soft, acidic water, suits a group.

In the wild

In the wild it lives in clear, shaded forest streams of the upper Amazon, running over sand and drifts of fallen leaves. This is very soft, acidic water, so aim for a pH between 5 and 7 and a temperature of about 24 to 28 C. A fine sand floor, tangles of wood and leaf litter, and dim lighting all help it settle. It is sensitive to poor water and to sudden changes, so a stable, well-aged tank matters more than decoration.

Good to know

Crenicara punctulata is a South American dwarf cichlid in the family Cichlidae, reaching about 10 centimeters and marked with the double row of dark blotches that give the checkerboard its name. It is one of very few aquarium fish that change sex: all fry begin as females, and if no male is present the dominant female turns into a functional male. Females ready to spawn show bright orange in the ventral fins.

Did you know

Every checkerboard crenicara starts life as a female. Remove or lose the only male from a group and the strongest female will change sex, taking on male color and behavior and stepping into the vacant role.

Tank mates

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