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Encyclopedia / Cichlids / Pucallpa dwarf cichlid
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Variations

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Pucallpa dwarf cichlid

Apistogrammoides pucallpaensis · Pucallpa, Apistogrammoides, Pucallpa dwarf

Peaceful.

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4 cmBody length, without tail ✓
22–27 °CTemperature ✓
5.5–7.5pH ✓
UnknownSmallest tank ?
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Tank mates
Check your own mix →
Not recommended
  • Tinfoil barb eats animals up to about 5 cm. Pucallpa dwarf cichlid only grows to 4 cm.
Not recommended
  • White cloud mountain minnow needs cool water and makes a lot of waste, while Pucallpa dwarf cichlid is tropical.
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 22 °C.
Not recommended
  • Giant gourami eats animals up to about 10 cm. Pucallpa dwarf cichlid only grows to 4 cm.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow pH range suits both: exactly 7.5.
With conditions
  • Only a narrow temperature range suits both: exactly 22 °C.
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible
Compatible

358 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 ✓up to 5 dGH
Group size ?Can live alone
Temperament ?Peaceful
Swims at ?Middle
Care level ?Moderate
Diet Omnivore
Lifespan ?Unknown
Size in shops 2–4 cm
Growth Medium

Behavior

Peaceful. Males can be territorial in small tanks.

Food

Frozen bloodworms, daphnia, brine shrimp and small micro pellets.

Tap a food to see what it is.

Male or female

MaleLarger with longer fins and a darker body
FemaleSmaller; turns yellow with black marks when spawning
TipMales are larger with tall dorsal fins
How hard to tellModerate

Health

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

Breeding

Cave spawner (harem) · Moderate

Cave spawner: the eggs are stuck to the roof of a cave and the female tends the clutch.

Pairing

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

Setup

A 30 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

About 80-90 eggs, stuck to the roof of a cave.

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

RegionPeru – Ucayali basin
Rivers and lakesRío Ucayali basin near Pucallpa
HabitatShallow forest pools and streams
Native rangeAbout 300 km across
See it on the world map

The story of the pucallpa dwarf cichlid

A tiny dwarf cichlid from the western Amazon in Peru, Colombia and Brazil, and the only member of its genus. It is a close relative of Apistogramma and lives among floating-plant roots and leaf litter in still water.

German aquarium author Hermann Meinken described this tiny cichlid in 1965. It is the only species in its genus, distinguished by details of its fin spines. It stays under about 5 cm.

First described by Hermann Meinken in 1965. Named for Named after Pucallpa, a town on the Río Ucayali in Peru.

  • It is the only species in the genus Apistogrammoides.
  • It is one of the smallest cichlids, under 5 cm.
  • It lives in soft, acidic water.

Sources

11 facts checked with sources