Dwarf Cichlids

Dwarf Cichlids

Dwarf cichlids are found in Africa and South America. The most well known dwarf cichlid species are the South American and belong to the genus Apistogramma laetacara-curviceps-flag-acara-dwarf. These cichlids live in the Amazon region and some species have also been found in Venezuela. 

1. Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma agassizi)

1.     Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma agassizi)

2. Blue Apistogramma (Apistogramma trifasciata)

2.     Blue Apistogramma Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma trifasciata)

3. Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma cacatuoides)

3.     Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma cacatuoides)

4 Yellow Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma borellii)

4.     Yellow Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma borellii). Apistogramma dwarf cichlids are the most common type dwarf cichlids kept in the home aquarium. 

In the wild; Apistogramma dwarf cichlids habitat is in soft acidic waters, and you must keep the pH between 5.5 and 6.8 in the aquarium and make sure that the water is soft. 

 

The male Apistogramma cichlids will grow too approximately three inches or 7.62 cm and the females are usually one and half inches or 3.81 cm in size; this makes it possible to house dwarf cichlids in smaller aquarium minim size can be 30 gallon  or 114 liters any smaller you will be working yourself to death; remember the smaller the aquarium the more water changes and extreme upkeep is always required for small tanks; you should not house dwarf cichlids in any type of small aquarium water quality and pH is absolute must for this dwarf cichlid-Apistogramma cichlids and care would be exaggerated in small tank.

However most dwarf cichlids are extremely sensitive to water and pH quality than their larger cousins and it will be hard to keep the water quality fine enough in a very small aquarium. Due to their sensitivity Apistogramma Dwarf cichlids are never recommended to aquarists without previous aquarium experience.

Apistogramma dwarf cichlids are quite docile but they will defend their territory during spawning. Just like many other cichlids, Apistogramma species and are great parents will care for their offspring. 

The male Apistogramma will claim a territory and protect it, and several females will care for the fry in small nests within this territory. The nests are usually quite basic, like holes in the sand or a little pile of leaf litter. 

Each female will defend her own spawning site against all others. If you keep bottom dwelling fish species, like catfish, with your Apistogramma dwarf cichlids you must remove them from the aquarium when the dwarf cichlids begin to spawning. Dwarf cichlids are known to pick out the eyes of intruding fish species.

One of the most commonly kept dwarf cichlids from Africa is Pelvicachromis pulcher, the Kribensis cichlid. A male Kribensis can reach a size of 10 centimeters (4 inches) while the females 5 centimeters or (2 inches) and they always are much smaller than the males. 

African Dwarf Cichlid is Pelvicachromis pulcher- Kribensis cichlid

1. African Dwarf Cichlid is Pelvicachromis pulcher- Kribensis cichlid

Unlike a lot of the commonly kept African cichlids, this cichlid does not originate from any of the Great Rift Valley lakes. Kribensis is instead found in the Pelvicachromis pulcher is native to southern Nigeria and to coastal areas of Cameroon, where it occurs in warm (24–26 °C or 75–79 °F), acidic to neutral (pH 5.6–6.2), soft water (12–22 mg L-1 CaCO3). 

Populations of P. pulcher prefers rivers with fast running shallow water;they also have occurred outside its natural range in Hawaii, as a USA by-product of the ornamental fish trade;
 

Pelvicachromis pulcher is native to southern Nigeria and to coastal areas of Cameroon, where it occurs in warm (24–26 °C or 75–79 °F), acidic to neutral (pH 5.6–6.2), soft water (12–22 mg L-1 CaCO3).

If you want to keep Kribensis cichlids, you should house them in a well planted aquarium with plenty of hiding places since this resembles the natural environment for Kribensis cichlids. 

Drift wood and rocks can also be used to create hiding places. Kribensis cichlids will work well with each other or in a community aquarium. They will claim territories, but these are so small that territorial fights will be unusual. Unlike many larger African cichlids, Kribensis cichlids are not very found of digging.