Apistogramma cacatuoides
Red-nosed Apisto (Cacatuoides)
The most popular, most forgiving, most widely available. Where most keepers start — and often where they stay.
Tank: 20g long min, pH: 5.5–6.8
Apistogramma Species Library
Apistogramma cacatuoides is the easiest species for a first tank; borellii and trifasciata suit a nano setup; nijsseni, steindachneri, and viejita are better second or third species once you've bred cacatuoides successfully. Water chemistry, tank size, temperament, and breeding behavior all vary by species — the comparison table below lines up the thirty-one most commonly kept species side by side.
Each species has unique requirements. Water chemistry, tank size, temperament, breeding behavior — they all matter. Below are the guides to help you choose, set up, and succeed with the species that fits your setup.
Compare All Species at a Glance
Every species here wants soft, slightly acidic water and a patient approach to tankmates, but the details vary more than beginners expect. Ranges are typical for the species — individual lines and wild versus domestic stock vary, so read the full guide before you buy.
| Species | Adult size | Min. tank | pH | Temp. | Hardness | Temperament | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cacatuoides | 2–3" | 20g long | 5.5–6.8 | 75–82°F | 2–8 dGH | Peaceful; males territorial | Beginner |
| Borellii | 2–2.8" | 20g (nano-OK) | 5.5–7.2 | 72–79°F | Soft, to 15 dGH | Peaceful — calmest of the genus | Beginner–Int. |
| Trifasciata | 1.6–2.4" | 15–20g (nano-OK) | 5.5–7.5 | 72–82°F | Soft, to 12 dGH | Peaceful, harem-compatible | Beginner |
| Hoignei | 2–3" | 20g long | 5.0–7.0 | 73–84°F | Soft, 0–10 dGH | Peaceful to mildly territorial | Beginner |
| Hongsloi | ~2.5" | 20g | 5–7 | 75–82°F | 2–10 dGH | Peaceful, easygoing | Beginner-friendly |
| Agassizii | 2–3.5" | 20g, 24"+ long | 5.5–7.0 | 74–82°F | Soft, 1–10 dGH | Peaceful to others; territorial to own | Intermediate |
| Macmasteri | 2–2.8" | 20g | 5.5–7.0 | 73–84°F | Soft–moderate | Semi-aggressive | Intermediate |
| Bitaeniata | 2–3" | 20g, 24"+ long | 5.0–6.5 | 77–84°F | Soft, to 8 dGH | Semi-aggressive; males territorial | Int.–Advanced |
| Nijsseni | 2.4–3.1" | 20g | 5.0–6.5 | 73–82°F | Very soft, 1–8 dGH | Peaceful, choosy about mates | Int.–Advanced |
| Viejita | ~2–2.8" | 20g+ | 5–7 | 75–84°F | Soft, to 8 dGH | Semi-aggressive | Advanced (sourcing) |
| Steindachneri | Up to 3.5" | 30g+, 40"+ long | 5.5–7.0 | 73–82°F | Soft, blackwater | Variable — mellow to pushy | Int.–Advanced |
| Baenschi | 1.6–2.2" | 20g | 4.0–6.5 | 68–79°F | Very soft, 1–5 dGH | Semi-aggressive; both sexes spar | Advanced |
| Elizabethae | 1.6–2.2" | 20g, long footprint | 4.0–6.0 | 73–84°F | Very soft, 1–3 dGH | Semi-aggressive; males territorial | Advanced |
| Panduro | 2.2–3" | 20g, 24"+ long | 4.0–6.5 | 72–84°F | Very soft, 0–5 dGH | Can be aggressive to own species | Advanced |
| Eunotus | 1.6–2.2" | 18"×12" (~11g)+ | 5.5–7.0 | 73–84°F | Soft, 0–5 dGH (tolerates harder) | Male pushy toward female; avoid other apistos | Int.–Advanced |
| Eremnopyge | 2–2.8" | 24"×12" (~14g)+ | 4.0–6.0 | 72–82°F | Very soft, 1–5 dGH | Best alone or with dither fish | Advanced |
| Gibbiceps | Up to ~3" (male) | 24"×12" (~20g)+ | 4.5–6.5 | 77–84°F | Soft, 1–5 dGH | Peaceful; males territorial to rivals | Advanced (sourcing) |
| Barlowi | 1.6–2.6" (male) | 24"×12" (~14g)+ | 4.5–6.5 | 72–84°F | Soft, 1–5 dGH | Best alone or with dither fish | Advanced |
| Megastoma | Up to 3" (male) | 26g+ | 4.8–6.5 | 75–82°F | Soft, blackwater | Mostly peaceful | Advanced (sourcing) |
| Mendezi | 2–2.75" (male) | 24g+ long | 4.0–6.0 | 73–84°F | Very soft, 1–5 dGH | Peaceful to others; males rough on females | Advanced (breeding) |
| Diplotaenia | Up to 2" (male) | 20g+ | 6.0–6.5 (lower for breeding) | 75–84°F | Soft, 6–20 dGH | Peaceful pair-bonder; male can turn on female post-spawn | Advanced (sourcing) |
| Iniridae | Up to 3" (male) | 20g, 24"+ long | 5.5–6.0 | 78–86°F | Soft, ~5 dGH | Harem-compatible; males spar with harmless dorsal displays | Advanced (sourcing) |
| Uaupesi | 1.5–3.5" (2.4–3.5" male) | 26g, 32"+ long | 4.0–6.5 | 75–86°F | Very soft, <5 dGH | Harem-compatible; female aggressive while brooding | Advanced (chemistry + sourcing) |
| Pertensis | 1.5–1.8" (male smaller) | 15–20g | 5.5–6.5 | 73–86°F | Very soft, <5 dGH | Peaceful, harem-compatible | Advanced (sourcing only) |
| Norberti | 1.5–2.4" (male) | 18"×12" (~11g)+ | 4.5–6.8 | 75–82°F | Very soft, 0–4 dGH | Best alone or with dither fish if wild-caught | Advanced (sourcing) |
| Pantalone | ~1.4" (36mm SL) | 15–20g | 6.4–8.0 (6.0–6.5 breeding) | 62.6–80.6°F | Moderate; ~5 dGH breeding | Harem-compatible | Advanced (very scarce) |
| Cinilabra | 1.6–2.8" (male) | 24"×12" (~14g)+ | 4.5–7.0 | 70–81°F | Very soft, 0–4 dGH | Best alone or with dither fish if wild-caught | Advanced (single-lake endemic) |
| Pleurotaenia | 2–2.75" (male) | 20g long+ | 6.0–6.5 (breeding) | 73–84°F | Soft, ~5 dGH (breeding) | Peaceful / harmless | Advanced (little published data) |
| Gephyra | 1.2–2.4" (sources conflict) | 15–20g long | 5.0–7.0 (~4 wild/breeding) | 75–82°F | Very soft, ~1 dGH wild | Peaceful; male aggressive post-spawn | Advanced (ID dispute + sourcing) |
| Hippolytae | 1.3–2.4" (sources conflict) | 20g (10g short-term) | Up to 7.0 wild; 5.0 breeding | 73–86°F wild; 78°F breeding | Up to 10 dGH wild; <4 dGH breeding | Male territorial; female can turn on male | Advanced (thin data + sourcing) |
| Alacrina | Up to 2.2" (male/unsexed) | 15–20g long | 6.0–6.5 breeding (general undocumented) | Undocumented; genus-standard 73–82°F | ~5 dGH breeding | Undocumented; assumed genus-standard | Advanced (ID uncertainty + sourcing) |
The Essential Three
Apistogramma borellii
Yellow Apisto (Borellii)
The smallest, most peaceful. Stunning in planted nano tanks. Can be territorial but rarely aggressive.
Tank: 15g min, pH: 5.5–7.2
Apistogramma nijsseni
Apistogramma nijsseni
Panda Dwarf Cichlid (Nijsseni)
Bold, interactive, and challenging. For keepers ready to move beyond cacatuoides. Excellent parents.
Tank: 20g min, pH: 5.0–6.5
Also Beginner-Friendly
Apistogramma trifasciata
Apistogramma trifasciata
Three-Striped Dwarf Cichlid (Trifasciata)
Borellii's closest rival for nano tanks — even smaller, just as tolerant of cool water, and one of the most adaptable apistos in the hobby.
Tank: 15g min • pH: 5.5–7.5
Apistogramma hoignei
Apistogramma hoignei
Hoigne's Dwarf Cichlid (Hoignei)
A wide-ranging Orinoco species with one of the broadest pH tolerances in the genus — a forgiving bridge toward blackwater specialists.
Tank: 20g long min • pH: 5.0–7.0
Intermediate Species
Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid (Agassizii)
Widespread and highly variable by locality — red, blue, and fire-red strains. Larger than cacatuoides.
Tank: 20g, 24"+ long, pH: 5.5–7.0
Macmaster's Dwarf Cichlid (Macmasteri)
Red-faced and assertive — and unusually tolerant of harder tap water for this genus.
Tank: 20g min, pH: 5.5–7.0
Two-Striped Dwarf Cichlid (Bitaeniata)
Bigger and feistier than the beginner species, with a warm-water blackwater lean and a signature double stripe plus red-netted tail on mature males.
Tank: 20g, 24"+ long • pH: 5.0–6.5
Steindachner's Dwarf Cichlid (Steindachneri)
Bold, blunt-headed, and the largest species on this list. Needs real tank space.
Tank: 30g+, 40"+ long, pH: 5.5–7.0
Advanced & Rare Species
Viejita Apisto (Viejita)
Rare and delicate. Long-term SF, requires expertise. The ultimate collector's fish.
Hong's Dwarf Cichlid (Hongsloi)
Tiny, peaceful, understated beauty. For planted nano specialists.
Inca Dwarf Cichlid (Baenschi)
The most demanding water chemistry on this list — pH to 4.0, hardness to 1 dGH. Males flush deep red-orange under a dramatic sail-fin display.
Elizabeth's Dwarf Cichlid (Elizabethae)
A true Rio Negro blackwater specialist with red-and-blue facial markings on males — and a micropredator streak that rules out ornamental shrimp tankmates.
Panduro Dwarf Cichlid (Panduro)
Soft blue coloration and demanding blackwater chemistry to match baenschi and elizabethae. Nicknamed "blue panda" in the trade — unrelated to nijsseni's actual panda markings.
Apistogramma eunotus (Eunotus)
A genus outlier: large-bodied and genuinely milder-water-tolerant than its relatives, with a prized but inconsistent "orange-tailed" male color form. Specialist sourcing, not demanding chemistry.
Apistogramma eremnopyge
Genus-extreme softwater chemistry to match baenschi, plus a trade-name history (Strawberry, Red Beard, now "Diamond") that's confused buyers for over twenty years.
Apistogramma gibbiceps
One of the largest apistos in the genus, named for a "hump head" deformity its type specimen had and no other gibbiceps has ever shown. Rare beyond the wholesale trade — sourcing is the real challenge here, not chemistry.
Apistogramma barlowi
The genus's rule-breaker: one of only two known Apistogramma species that mouthbroods its eggs instead of guarding them in a cave. Demanding water chemistry plus specialist-only sourcing.
Apistogramma megastoma
The genus's other mouthbrooder — a maternal-only brooder formerly traded as "Kelleri" for nearly a decade after its 2017 description. Larger-bodied than barlowi, with sourcing just as specialist.
Apistogramma mendezi
Named for Chico Mendes, the Brazilian rainforest activist murdered in 1988 — a rare conservation story behind an apisto name. Extreme blackwater chemistry and one of the harder species on this list to breed.
Apistogramma diplotaenia
The Doublebanded Dwarf Cichlid — in the hobby since 1981 without ever becoming common. Its name essentially translates to bitaeniata's "two-striped," but they're unrelated species. Rare, expensive, and documented by only a handful of breeders.
Apistogramma iniridae
The first species on this site with a formal IUCN Vulnerable listing. Males show dramatic sailfin dorsal displays and orange or blue color variants side by side. Moderate water chemistry — the real challenge is finding wholesale-only stock, and not confusing it with its lyre-tailed cousin, uaupesi.
Apistogramma uaupesi
Iniridae's lyre-tailed cousin and the genus's most frequent mislabeling match — cichlidae.com groups both species together taxonomically. Genus-extreme blackwater chemistry (pH to 4.0) plus wholesale-only sourcing make this one of the more demanding species on this list.
Apistogramma pertensis
One of the most widely distributed Apistogramma species in the wild — spanning a long stretch of the Rio Negro and Amazon-Solimões mainstem — yet genuinely rare in the aquarium trade. Mild, moderate water chemistry; sourcing is the real challenge.
Apistogramma norberti
Traded for years as "großmaul" (bigmouth) before its 1991 description, with a taxonomic placement still unsettled between the cacatuoides and nijsseni species groups. Males carry a one-of-a-kind black dorsal spot and rounded tail. Genuinely rare — wholesale and specialist channels only.
Apistogramma pantalone
The only apisto on this site named after a fictional character — the Commedia dell'Arte merchant Pantalone, for the species' stiff, clumsy courtship display. A taxonomic cousin of nijsseni from fast-flowing Peruvian streams rather than still blackwater. Essentially undocumented in the trade.
Apistogramma cinilabra
Known from a single forest lake under one hectare near Iquitos, Peru — discovered in 2010 and flagged "potentially endangered" by the scientists who described it the following year, with logging threatening the surrounding forest. Males show genus-unique ash-grey lips. It's unclear if this species has ever been commercially exported for the hobby at all.
Apistogramma pleurotaenia
One of the oldest formally described species on this site (1909) — yet its original description placed its origin in Argentina, an error traced to mislabeled aquarium specimens and only corrected by research in 2024. No established common name, and genuinely scarce in the modern hobby despite over a century in the scientific record.
Apistogramma gephyra
Named by Kullander as a taxonomic "bridge" between agassizii and pertensis — a connection a leading reference curator now says "no longer holds." Juveniles are also mistaken for elizabethae, making this the most identification-tangled species on this list. Occasional wholesale import only.
Apistogramma hippolytae
Named after Hippolyta, queen of the Amazons in Greek mythology — a name FishBase itself says has no special meaning for the fish. Shares a taxonomic species group with this site's steindachneri. Thinly documented, with conflicting size data that unusually lists females as the larger sex.
Apistogramma alacrina
Formally described in 2004 from Colombia — thirty years after its own describer introduced the aquarium trade's "Rotpunkt" form, without ever confirming they're the same fish. Still sold today under the tentative label "cf. alacrina 'D18.'" IUCN Near Threatened, a rarer actual conservation rating than the Data Deficient shrug most scarce apistos get.
Choosing Your Species
First apisto? Start with cacatuoides. Hardy, widely available, forgiving of beginner mistakes, and beautiful enough to enjoy for years.
Second or third? Try borellii or trifasciata if you love planted nano tanks, hoignei if you want a forgiving step toward blackwater species, or nijsseni if you're ready for personality and breeding.
Experienced breeder? Explore the rarer species — macmasteri, bitaeniata, viejita, hongsloi, baenschi, elizabethae, panduro, eunotus, eremnopyge, gibbiceps, barlowi, megastoma, mendezi, diplotaenia, iniridae, uaupesi, pertensis, norberti, pantalone, cinilabra, pleurotaenia, gephyra, hippolytae, alacrina. Each has its own quirks and challenges.
Not All Apistos Are Equal
Wild-caught, F1, and captive-bred fish behave differently. Strain lines matter. Regional variants have different colors and sizes. Throughout these guides, we'll address where these differences come from and why they matter for keeping and breeding.
Need a starting point?
Read Red-nosed Apisto first. Then jump into care fundamentals for the water chemistry and tank setup pieces.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Apistogramma species is best for beginners?
Apistogramma cacatuoides. It tolerates a wider range of water chemistry than most apistos, is widely available, and breeds readily in a 20-gallon long.
How many Apistogramma species are there?
Over 90 species have been described, with more identified regularly. This site covers thirty-one of the most commonly kept in the aquarium hobby, from beginner-friendly cacatuoides and trifasciata to advanced blackwater specialists like baenschi, elizabethae, and eremnopyge.
Which Apistogramma species works in a nano tank?
Apistogramma borellii and trifasciata are the best fits. Both run smaller and calmer than most of the genus, and a single pair of either can work in a heavily planted 10 to 15 gallon tank.
What is the hardest Apistogramma species to keep?
Baenschi and elizabethae need the most extreme water chemistry on this list (pH down to 4.0, hardness down to 1 dGH). Nijsseni and steindachneri also demand strict blackwater conditions and are unforgiving of parameter drift. Viejita is difficult for a different reason: genuine specimens are rare and frequently mislabeled in the trade.
About Pet Zone SD Team
Apistogrammarama is written and maintained by the aquarium staff at Pet Zone Tropical Fish in San Diego, who have imported and kept South American dwarf cichlids since the store's founding in 2007.