Spadetail checkerboard cichlid
Dicrossus maculatus
Also known as Spade-tail checkerboard cichlid, Chessboard cichlid, Spadetail checkerboard, Spadetailed Checkerboard Cichlid
FreshwaterFish
Care at a glance
- Temperature
- 79–86°F
- 26–30°C
- pH
- 4.5–6.5
- Adult size
- 3.5 in
- 9 cm
- Minimum tank
- 24 gal
- 90 L
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Social behavior
- Social
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Difficulty
- Difficult
- Breeding
- Hard
- Rarity
- Rare
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Lower Rio Tapajos and Rio Maues of the Brazilian Amazon, in shallow, sluggish blackwater streams over leaf litter.
Overview
The spadetail checkerboard cichlid is a small, peaceful cichlid for the bottom of a soft, acidic planted tank. It is for experienced keepers.
Did you know
The spadetail checkerboard cichlid is the type species of its genus, Dicrossus. Steindachner described it in 1875.
Caring for the spadetail checkerboard cichlid
Keep spadetail checkerboard cichlids as a pair or small group in a tank of at least 24 gal (90 L). Give them dense planting, wood, leaf litter and a gentle flow. They need a mature, stable tank and stay near the bottom.
Keep the water very soft and acidic, at 79 to 86°F (26 to 30°C) and a pH of 4.5 to 6.5. Feed small live and frozen foods.
They are peaceful and best kept only with calm, small tank mates. Males develop a spade-shaped tail. Breeding is hard, since the eggs only develop properly in very soft, acidic water below about pH 5.0.
Good to know
The spadetail checkerboard cichlid has a row of dark checkerboard blotches along its flank. The male's spade-shaped tail separates it from the more common Dicrossus filamentosus, which has a lyretail.
In the wild
The spadetail checkerboard cichlid lives in the lower Rio Tapajos and Rio Maues of the Brazilian Amazon. It occupies shallow, sluggish blackwater streams over leaf litter, where the water is very soft, acidic and stained with tannins.
Weekly picks
Tank mates
The spadetail checkerboard cichlid is a 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.
Congo tetra
Phenacogrammus interruptus
Freshwater3.1 in (8 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)73–82°F (23–28°C)
Red lizard whiptail
Rineloricaria lanceolata
Freshwater3.9 in (10 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)77–82°F (25–28°C)
Peppered cory
Hoplisoma paleatum
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 21 gal (80 L)72–79°F (22–26°C)
Bangka rasbora
Rasbora bankanensis
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)72–81°F (22–27°C)
Blue panchax
Aplocheilus panchax
Freshwater3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)72–82°F (22–28°C)
Adujai lizard tetra
Iguanodectes adujai
Freshwater2.8 in (7 cm) · 24 gal (90 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)
Common questions
What size tank does a spadetail checkerboard cichlid need?
A spadetail checkerboard cichlid needs at least 24 gal (90 L). It spends most of its time in the bottom.
What temperature and pH does a spadetail checkerboard cichlid need?
A spadetail checkerboard cichlid is comfortable at 79–86°F (26–30°C) with a pH of 4.5–6.5.
What does a spadetail checkerboard cichlid eat?
A spadetail checkerboard cichlid eats small live and frozen foods.
How big does a spadetail checkerboard cichlid get?
An adult spadetail checkerboard cichlid reaches about 3.5 in (9 cm).
How can you tell a male spadetail checkerboard cichlid from a female?
Males develop a spade-shaped tail.
How does a spadetail checkerboard cichlid breed?
The spadetail checkerboard cichlid is hard to breed. Its eggs only develop properly in very soft, acidic water below about pH 5.0.
Related species
3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)79–86°F (26–30°C)Checkerboard cichlid
Dicrossus filamentosus
3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
3 in (7.5 cm)20 gal (75 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Warzel's dwarf cichlid
Dicrossus warzeli
3 in (7.5 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
3.5 in (9 cm)20 gal (75 L)72–84°F (22–29°C)Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
Apistogramma agassizii
3.5 in (9 cm) · 20 gal (75 L)
3.5 in (9 cm)53 gal (200 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Cherry-belly jewel cichlid
Rubricatochromis cerasogaster
3.5 in (9 cm) · 53 gal (200 L)
3.5 in (9 cm)42 gal (160 L)73–81°F (23–27°C)Conjunctus benitochromis
Benitochromis conjunctus
3.5 in (9 cm) · 42 gal (160 L)
3.5 in (9 cm)42 gal (160 L)75–82°F (24–28°C)Eyespot dwarf pike
Wallaciia notophthalmus
3.5 in (9 cm) · 42 gal (160 L)