Goldhead nannacara

Nannacara aureocephalus

Also known as Golden-head dwarf cichlid

FreshwaterFish

Care at a glance

Temperature: 75–82°F (24–28°C)
pH: 5.0–7.0
Adult size: 3.1 in (8 cm)
Minimum tank: 14 gal (54 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: French Guiana creeks
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

This is a peaceful dwarf cichlid, easy going enough for a quiet community and best kept as a male and female pair, or one male with a couple of females if the tank is larger. It lives near the bottom among cover, and the male, with his gold lit head, is noticeably bigger than the female. It gets along with other small, calm fish, though a female guarding eggs or fry becomes fierce for her size and will drive others off a chosen cave. A pair is comfortable in a tank of around 54 liters or more. Feed small foods: micro pellets, quality flake, and frozen or live items such as brine shrimp, daphnia, and bloodworm.

In the wild

The goldhead nannacara lives in small, shaded forest creeks in French Guiana, where the water is soft, acidic, and stained brown with tannins from fallen leaves. Recreate that with a dark sand bottom, leaf litter, driftwood, and shady planted cover, plus a cave or two for spawning. Keep the water warm at 24–28 C and soft and acidic, around pH 5.0–7.0, and stay on top of water changes, since it does not tolerate a dirty or unsettled tank.

Good to know

Nannacara aureocephalus is a dwarf cichlid in the family Cichlidae; males reach around 8 centimeters and females stay distinctly smaller. The species name means golden headed, for the brassy sheen a mature male carries over the front of the body. It is a cave spawner in which the female tends the eggs and guards the fry, and breeding is of moderate difficulty.

Did you know

A brooding female changes almost instantly, dropping her plain colors for a bold black and gold checkerboard that warns other fish away from her fry; the switch is quick enough to catch you off guard.

Tank mates

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