TankBud

Panda dwarf cichlid

Apistogramma nijsseni

FreshwaterFish

Panda dwarf cichlid (Apistogramma nijsseni)
Sascha Biedermann, composite by MidgleyDJ at en.wikipedia · CC BY-SA 2.5

Care at a glance

Temperature
75–82°F
24–28°C
pH
5.0–6.5
Adult size
3.3 in
8.5 cm
Minimum tank
18 gal
70 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Diet
Carnivore
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Cave spawner · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Peru

Overview

The panda dwarf cichlid is a small, mostly peaceful fish for a soft, acidic tank with plenty of cover. It is a fish for a keeper ready to move past beginner species.

Did you know

In the panda dwarf cichlid, water temperature and chemistry during egg and fry development skew the sex ratio. Water warmer than about 26°C produces mostly males, so breeders watch the thermometer closely to raise a balanced brood.

Caring for the panda dwarf cichlid

Keep panda dwarf cichlids as a harem of one male with two or three females, in at least 18 gal (70 L). Each female needs her own cave and patch of territory. Give them plenty of low cover, with caves, coconut shells, leaf litter and dense planting. Each fish should be able to hold a territory out of sight of the others.

Keep the water soft and acidic, at 75 to 82°F (24 to 28°C) and a pH of 5.0 to 6.5. Add leaf litter, botanicals and driftwood to tint and acidify the water. Dim lighting and a sandy floor help this shy fish settle and show its bold pattern. Feed small live and frozen foods such as brine shrimp, daphnia and bloodworm.

It is generally calm in a community, but a female guarding eggs or fry becomes very bold. She will chase fish many times her size away from the nest. Keep it with small, gentle dither fish such as pencilfish or small tetras. They swim in the upper water and help the cichlids feel secure.

Females are noticeably smaller than males. It is a cave spawner, and the female lays her eggs on the roof of a small cave. She guards the fry alone, turning vivid yellow with bold black markings, while the male defends the wider territory. Breeding is hard, because the eggs need soft, acidic water to develop.

Good to know

Apistogramma nijsseni is a dwarf member of the cichlid family, Cichlidae. Its bold black-and-orange pattern gives it the panda name.

In the wild

The panda dwarf cichlid comes from the Rio Ucayali drainage of Peru. It lives in small, shaded forest streams and pools of warm, very soft, acidic blackwater. The water is heavily stained with tannins and holds almost no mineral content.

Weekly picks

Tank mates

The panda dwarf cichlid is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the middle. 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 panda dwarf cichlid need?

A panda dwarf cichlid needs at least 18 gal (70 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a panda dwarf cichlid need?

A panda dwarf cichlid is comfortable at 75–82°F (24–28°C) with a pH of 5.0–6.5.

What does a panda dwarf cichlid eat?

A panda dwarf cichlid eats small live and frozen foods, such as brine shrimp, daphnia and bloodworm.

How big does a panda dwarf cichlid get?

An adult panda dwarf cichlid reaches about 3.3 in (8.5 cm).

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

Males are noticeably larger than females. A female guarding a brood turns vivid yellow with bold black markings.

How does a panda dwarf cichlid breed?

The panda dwarf cichlid is a cave spawner. The female lays her eggs on the roof of a small cave and guards the fry alone, while the male defends the territory. Breeding is hard, because the eggs need soft, acidic water.

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