T-bar dwarf cichlid

Apistogrammoides pucallpaensis

Also known as Pucallpa dwarf cichlid, T-bar apisto

FreshwaterFish

T-bar dwarf cichlid (Apistogrammoides pucallpaensis) — 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: 1.6 in (4 cm)
Minimum tank: 11 gal (40 L)
Temperament: Mostly peaceful
Social behavior: Social
Swim level: Bottom
Difficulty: Medium
Breeding: Medium
Rarity: Rare
Origin: Ucayali basin, Peru
Family: Cichlidae

Overview

Keep the T-bar dwarf cichlid much as you would a mild Apistogramma: a single pair, or a male with two or three females, over a soft floor scattered with leaf litter and small caves. It is a peaceful, bottom-oriented dwarf that stays out of trouble with small, calm community fish such as pencilfish or small tetras. It likes dense cover, including floating plants that dim the light. Feed small live and frozen foods like microworm, baby brine shrimp and cyclops, along with fine sinking dried foods. A tank of around 40 liters suits a pair.

In the wild

This dwarf lives in leaf-littered backwaters and creeks of the Ucayali basin near Pucallpa in Peru, in shaded, still, warm water. Give it a sandy or fine substrate, a deep layer of dried leaves, small thimble-sized caves for spawning, and gentle filtration. Unlike some Apistogramma it does not need extremely soft water; aim for around 24 to 28 C and pH 5.0 to 7.0.

Good to know

Apistogrammoides pucallpaensis is the only species in its genus and reaches just 4 centimeters, one of the smallest cichlids kept. It looks much like an Apistogramma but is set apart by the extra hard spines in its anal fin, up to about eight where an Apistogramma has around three. It is a cave-spawning dwarf with a mother family: the female tends the eggs and fry, and the male helps guard the wider area once the young are free swimming.

Did you know

The common name comes from a small dark mark near the tail, where a horizontal stripe meets a vertical bar to form a T, the tidiest field mark on this otherwise plain little fish.

Tank mates

T-bar dwarf cichlid is a mostly peaceful, social species that keeps to the bottom. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.