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Encyclopedia / Cichlids / Diplotaenia dwarf cichlid
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Diplotaenia dwarf cichlid

Apistogramma diplotaenia · Diplotaenia, Two-stripe dwarf, Apisto diplotaenia

Peaceful; males can be territorial.

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3 cmBody length, without tail ✓
24–28 °CTemperature ✓
5–6.5pH ✓
UnknownSmallest tank ?
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Tank mates
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Not recommended
  • Tinfoil barb eats animals up to about 5 cm. Diplotaenia dwarf cichlid only grows to 3 cm.
Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Diplotaenia dwarf cichlid is tropical.
  • They need different temperatures (24–28 °C vs 14–22 °C). No setting suits both.
Not recommended
  • Pearl gourami eats animals up to about 3 cm. Diplotaenia dwarf cichlid only grows to 3 cm.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: 24–25 °C.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 24 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

208 species in our list are a good match.

Facts checked against sources on 16 Oct 2026. ✓ means a source backs it; ? means no reliable source yet. See sources

Care and water

Hardness ?Unknown
Group size ?Can live alone
Temperament ?Peaceful
Swims at ?Middle
Care level ?Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 3–5 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful; males can be territorial.

Food

Frozen bloodworms, daphnia and brine shrimp, small sinking pellets and live baby brine shrimp.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

Males are larger and more colourful, with blue, yellow or red mainly in the fins on a white-silver body, a separated front dorsal and a dorsal filament. Both sexes have the double stripe. Females are smaller and turn bright yellow when guarding.

Health

Common problems. Tap one to see the signs. This is a guide, not a diagnosis.

Breeding

Cave spawner (harem) · Hard

Cave spawner: the eggs are fixed to the roof of a cave and the female cares for the eggs and larvae, keeping the male away from the fry.

Pairing

Keep one male with 2-4 females; each female claims a cave, pot or coconut shell.

Setup

A 40 L tank with a sponge or gentle filter, fine sand, many small caves, terracotta pots and leaf litter, with soft, slightly acidic water.

What starts it

Soft, slightly acidic water, warmer temperatures, frequent water changes and live or frozen foods.

Eggs

One documented spawn gave about 75 fry, free-swimming about six days after spawning; fry are very small and need microworms at first.

Raising the fry

The female guards the wrigglers and then the free-swimming fry; feed microworms and newly hatched brine shrimp from day 4-5.

Common mistakes
  • Too few hiding places
  • Hard, alkaline water
  • Several males in a small tank
Full breeding guide, day-by-day plan and simulator →

Where it lives in the wild

RegionBrazil – Rio Negro basin
Rivers and lakesMiddle Rio Negro and tributaries
HabitatShallow blackwater streams
Native rangeAbout 300 km across
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The story of the diplotaenia dwarf cichlid

One of the smallest Apistogramma, from the soft, acidic black water of the middle Rio Negro in Venezuela and Brazil. Named for the double dark stripe along its sides; first imported in 1981 and described by Kullander in 1987.

Kullander described this unusual dwarf cichlid in 1987 from the Rio Negro region. It has two dark lengthwise stripes, which inspired its name. It lives in very soft, acidic blackwater.

First described by Sven O. Kullander in 1987. Named for Diplotaenia means 'double band'.

  • It shows two dark lines along its body.
  • It is rarely seen in the aquarium trade.
  • It lives in very soft, acidic blackwater.

Sources

13 facts checked with sources