Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
The most widely kept Apistogramma, and a warm, soft-water fish — FishBase records it from 26–29 °C and pH 5.0–7.0, warmer and more acidic than a general community tank runs.
Quick profile
- Scientific name
- Apistogramma agassizii
- Adult size
- 5–8 cm (2–3.1 in)
- Lifespan
- 3–5 years
- Temperature
- 26–29 °C (79–84 °F)
- pH
- 5–7
- Hardness
- 0–8 °dGH
- Minimum tank
- 75 L (20 US gal)
- Minimum length
- 60 cm
- Swimming zone
- Bottom
- Social
- Harem
- Diet
- Micropredator
- Overall confidence
- moderate confidence
What keeping this species involves
Needs warm, soft, acidic water and stable conditions. Hard alkaline tap water is a real limitation rather than something the fish adapts to.
Shaded blackwater and clearwater margins with leaf litter, soft and acidic.
Identity and names
- Common name
- Agassiz's dwarf cichlid
- Scientific name
- Apistogramma agassizii
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Order
- Cichliformes
- Class
- Actinopterygii
- Also sold as
- agassizii, Apistogramma agassizii, apisto
Name ambiguity
'Apistogramma agassizii' as sold covers several regional colour forms that may not all be one species. Husbandry is consistent across them.
Adult size and growth
5–8 cm (2–3.1 in) — FishBase records 4.4 cm SL for males; females are smaller.
Typical lifespan in an aquarium: 3–5 years. Almost every animal sold in a shop is a juvenile, so the tank has to suit the size in the first line rather than the size in the bag.
Shape, which is what the compatibility engine reads instead of length alone: deep-bodied with a moderate. Assigned from what is typical of Cichlidae, not examined for this species.
Water and tank requirements
Floor area rather than volume. A male holds a territory across the substrate and females need space outside it.
Temperature (°C)
Scale: 0 to 36 °C.
pH (pH)
Scale: 4 to 9.5 pH.
Hardness (°dGH)
Scale: 0 to 30 °dGH.
Where these figures come from
Habitat class
Blackwater
Tannin-stained water draining podzolic forest sand, carrying almost no dissolved mineral and a heavy load of humic and fulvic acid.
The defining property is the absence of mineral, not the colour. Water this soft has almost no buffering, so pH moves fast and a keeper's job is stability rather than chasing the wild figure.
- Conductivity
- 8–40 µS/cm
- Flow
- low
- Dissolved oxygen
- moderate
- Seasonality
- strong
These are figures for the KIND of water body, not measurements of this species. They are AquariumHQ’s summary of the general limnology and are given wide because the water is.
- TemperatureFollows the habitat this animal comes from
- Follows the water this animal is recorded from — blackwater. Blackwater generally runs 24–30°C, and the advised band of 26–29°C is consistent with it. This is AquariumHQ's reasoning from the habitat, not a measurement of the species. A source does publish a figure for this parameter, and it answers a different question — an environmental range or a laboratory tolerance rather than a keeping recommendation. It is held alongside this band rather than behind it.
- pHFollows the habitat this animal comes from
- Follows the water this animal is recorded from — blackwater. Blackwater generally runs 3.5–6, and the advised band of 5–7 is consistent with it. This is AquariumHQ's reasoning from the habitat, not a measurement of the species. A source does publish a figure for this parameter, and it answers a different question — an environmental range or a laboratory tolerance rather than a keeping recommendation. It is held alongside this band rather than behind it.
- General hardnessFollows the habitat this animal comes from
- Follows the water this animal is recorded from — blackwater. Blackwater generally runs 0–2 dGH, and the advised band of 0–8 dGH is consistent with it. This is AquariumHQ's reasoning from the habitat, not a measurement of the species. A source does publish a figure for this parameter, and it answers a different question — an environmental range or a laboratory tolerance rather than a keeping recommendation. It is held alongside this band rather than behind it.
Scale: 23.1 to 30.9 °C.
Scale: 3 to 7.5 pH.
Scale: -1.2 to 9.2 dGH.
| Requirement | Value | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature | 26–29 °C (79–84 °F) | Stability matters more than hitting an exact figure. |
| pH | 5–7 | A stable pH outside the ideal band is usually better than an unstable one inside it. |
| General hardness | 0–8 °dGH | Check your supplier's published figure before choosing species. |
| Minimum volume | 75 L (20 US gal) | A floor, not a recommendation. |
| Minimum footprint | 60 cm long × 30 cm deep | Floor area rather than volume. A male holds a territory across the substrate and females need space outside it. |
| Water flow | moderate | Match the outflow to this rather than to the filter's rating. |
| Lid required | Recommended | Reduces evaporation and prevents accidents. |
| Structure | Leaf litter, caves and shaded planting. Bare open substrate causes continuous stress. |
Behaviour
- Holds territory on the substrate; the female becomes intensely yellow and aggressive when guarding fry.
Telling males from females
Males are larger with extended dorsal and caudal finnage; females are yellow when in breeding condition.
Feeding
Takes prepared food readily but does noticeably better with frozen and live foods.
- Diet type
- Micropredator
- Staples
- Frozen bloodworm and daphnia, Baby brine shrimp, Small sinking foods
Breeding
- Strategy
- Cave-spawning; the female guards eggs and fry
- Difficulty
- straightforward
- Parental care
- guarding
Brood sex ratio in Apistogramma is temperature-influenced, which is one reason keeping temperature matters beyond comfort.
Tankmates and compatibility
Assessments are derived from stored traits by the compatibility engine, with the reasoning shown. A verdict is a statement about probability, not a guarantee — individual temperament can override it.
| Towards | Risk | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Small fish | moderate | Anything that fits in the mouth is at risk once this species reaches adult size. |
| Adult dwarf shrimp | high | Cover reduces losses but rarely prevents them where the risk is high. |
| Shrimplets | high | Determines whether a shrimp colony can grow rather than merely persist. |
| Snails | low | Applies to snails you wanted as well as snails you did not. |
| Long or trailing fins | occasional | Fin damage is an entry point for secondary infection. |
| Plants | uproots | Tough species such as Anubias and Java fern survive most grazers. |
Any pair in the catalogue can be assessed with the compatibility checker.
Welfare considerations
Points where the way this species is commonly sold or kept differs from what it actually needs.
- Recorded from 26–29 °C, warmer than most community tanks. Kept cool it is prone to disease and short-lived.
Problems to watch for
Most problems in a tank containing this species are general rather than species-specific. Start with the troubleshooting index and work from the observation rather than from a guess at the cause.
What AquariumHQ does not yet hold
Species-level disease susceptibility is modelled in the graph and is not yet populated. Health pages will not be published until each condition has veterinary sourcing, because health content written without evidence is the most harmful thing this product could publish. The gap is recorded in the coverage report.
Where it comes from
- Native range
- Amazon basin — Brazil, Peru and Colombia
- Habitat
- Shaded blackwater and clearwater margins with leaf litter, soft and acidic.
What the checklists say
7 distribution statements retrieved from GBIF checklists. Establishment means is reproduced from the source where it states one, and left unstated where it does not — a record of presence is not a record of origin.
| Status | Places | What this means |
|---|---|---|
| Native | 3 | A checklist states the species occurs here naturally. |
| Recorded as present, establishment means not stated | 4 | The source records the species as present and does not say whether it is native or introduced. AquariumHQ does not fill that in. |
Evidence
Every stored value with the kind of support behind it and where to check it. Evidence type and confidence are separate axes: an editorial position held confidently and a measurement held tentatively are different things.
| Claim | Value | Evidence type | Confidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| scientific name | Apistogramma agassizii | Observed / measured | high confidence | Catalogue of Life; GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| native range | Amazon basin — Brazil, Peru and Colombia | Observed / measured | moderate confidence | GBIF — Global Biodiversity Information Facility |
| adult size | 5–8 cm | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| lifespan | 3–5 years | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| temperature | 26–29 °C | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| ph | 5–7 pH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| general hardness | 0–8 °dGH | Aquarium-literature consensus | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank volume | ≥ 75 L | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
| minimum tank length | ≥ 60 cm | AquariumHQ editorial position | moderate confidence | AquariumHQ husbandry synthesis |
Last reviewed 2026-08-10. Values labelled as an aquarium-literature consensus are AquariumHQ editorial positions rather than measurements — see how evidence is handled.
Why we say this
What each figure on this page rests on, and how far that is from being independently established.
Every figure on this page has a provenance. Open any claim to see what AquariumHQ holds for it, which sources say what, and what a claim of that kind actually needs. Different claims need different evidence: an accepted scientific name is settled by one authority, while a legal restriction needs a current primary instrument. A single source is often the right answer rather than a thin one.
scientific nameAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: accepted scientific name and classification — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. Checked against gbif on 2026-08-11. One authoritative backbone is what this class requires.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
native rangeAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableBased on a verified authoritative source.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: where the species occurs — 1 authoritative source in an appropriate context. 7 distribution statements held from GBIF checklists — native in 3 country. Establishment means is reproduced from the source, never inferred from occurrence.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
adult sizeOne sourceBased on a verified authoritative source.1 citation, 1 independent origin
A single source: price-2022-fishshapes.
- 4.4 cm — FishBase · Maximum recorded · The range the species is recorded from · checked 2026-08-11
What this kind of claim needs: size a well-kept specimen reaches — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. One authoritative source, which is what this kind of claim requires. Independent replication would be welcome and is not the standard.
What would improve this: Corroborate against a second, independent source.
lifespanAquariumHQ's own position, externally checkableAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
AquariumHQ's own position on a claim an external source could support.
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No external source is required for this class. AquariumHQ's position stands on its stated reasoning.
What would improve this: Go and read a source. This is reachable and has not been reached.
temperatureOne sourceAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.1 citation, 1 independent origin
A single source: schliewen-1992.
- 26–29 °C — FishBase · Tolerated range · The range the species is recorded from · checked 2026-08-11
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. Derived from the observed range rather than copied from it. The advised band matches the observed envelope exactly, so no narrowing was applied and none is claimed. It is recorded as AquariumHQ's working position rather than as a derivation — the observation supports where this species is found, and nothing in the repository establishes a separate keeping range.
What would improve this: Corroborate against a second, independent source.
phOne sourceAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.1 citation, 1 independent origin
A single source: fishbase.
- 5–7 pH — FishBase · Tolerated range · The range the species is recorded from · checked 2026-08-11
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. Derived from the observed range rather than copied from it. The advised band matches the observed envelope exactly, so no narrowing was applied and none is claimed. It is recorded as AquariumHQ's working position rather than as a derivation — the observation supports where this species is found, and nothing in the repository establishes a separate keeping range.
What would improve this: Corroborate against a second, independent source.
general hardnessOne sourceAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.1 citation, 1 independent origin
A single source: fishbase.
- 0–12 °dGH — FishBase · Tolerated range · The range the species is recorded from · checked 2026-08-11
What this kind of claim needs: what aquariumhq advises for keeping — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. Derived from the observed range rather than copied from it. The advised band trims the upper end of the observed range. Hardness at the extremes of a wild record is generally tied to specific geology rather than to the fish's requirement, and captive-bred stock is raised in whatever water the farm has.
What would improve this: Corroborate against a second, independent source.
minimum tank volumeAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
minimum tank lengthAquariumHQ's judgement — no authority publishes thisAquariumHQ's own position, derived from evidenced inputs.
No external authority publishes this. The rationale carries the reasoning.
What this kind of claim needs: minimum tank size — no external source is required, provided AquariumHQ shows its reasoning. No authority publishes this. AquariumHQ derives it, and the derivation is recorded with its inputs and assumptions.
What would improve this: Keep the rationale current. There is no source to find.
Guides relevant to this species
Chosen from this record's own traits rather than listed on every page.
- Predator and prey sizeIt takes adult dwarf shrimp, which decides what can share the tank.
- Territorial behaviourIt defends ground, and the shape of what it defends decides the tank more than the volume does.
- Scientific and trade namesThe trade name for this animal covers more than one species.
- The kinds of water aquarium fish come fromThis record's water bands follow blackwater, which is the kind of water this animal is recorded from.
- How to read a compatibility verdictThis animal is recorded as nipping fins, which is one of the few compatibility factors with real reports behind it.
Group size and social behaviour
Territorial around spawning sites. A female with fry will drive off anything approaching, including the male.