Apistogramma agassizii
The classic Amazon apisto, distinct from cacatuoides by its lyre-shaped 'sword' tail. Males come in numerous regional colour forms: 'Red Tail', 'Fire Red', 'Double Red', 'Tefé Blue'. Soft acidic water for best colour and breeding. Pairs beautifully with cardinal tetras for a complete Amazon biotope.
Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma agassizii) reaches 5–9 cm (male), 4–5 cm (female) as an adult and needs a minimum tank of 75 L (pair). Native to Amazon basin, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, it lives in the mid to bottom water column with a peaceful (territorial when breeding) temperament. Aim for 24–28 °C, pH 5.0–7.0, and 1–10 dGH hardness. Lifespan is 3–5 years with good care. Keep agassiz's dwarf cichlid in groups of 2+, harem (1 male, 2–3 females) schoolers need numbers to display natural behaviour. Diet: carnivore, Frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, micro pellets. Live food triggers spawning behaviour. Plant-safe: Yes. Shrimp-safe: Risky with dwarf shrimp.
Care at a glance
The classic Amazon apisto, distinct from cacatuoides by its lyre-shaped 'sword' tail. Males come in numerous regional colour forms: 'Red Tail', 'Fire Red', 'Double Red', 'Tefé Blue'. Soft acidic water for best colour and breeding. Pairs beautifully with cardinal tetras for a complete Amazon biotope.
By Mike ElmiraUpdated 2 min read
Part of our complete guide to aquarium fish for the planted tank.
The parameters that decide whether agassiz's dwarf cichlid fits in your tank.
Mid to Bottom
No
Harem · 1 male, 2–3 females
Cichlidae
Carnivore
Frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, micro pellets. Live food triggers spawning behaviour.
3–5 yrs
Easy
Leaf-littered shallows along the Amazon mainstem
Amazon basin, Brazil, Peru, Colombia
Tank-mate safety and the species this one is documented to thrive (or fail) alongside.
Mid- and upper-level dither fish (cardinal tetras, rummynose, hatchetfish). Otocinclus for algae. Sterbai corydoras for warmth tolerance.
Other dwarf cichlids (territorial overlap), aggressive species, fin-nippers. Will eat dwarf shrimp.
Hard-won lessons from the tank.
Buy 6–8 juveniles unsexed and let pairs form naturally. Once a harem establishes, the male defends the perimeter while each female claims her own cave. Spawning occurs every 2–3 weeks in good conditions. Pair with cardinal tetras and corydoras for a complete soft-water Amazon biotope — one of the most satisfying species combinations in the hobby.
Genus 'Apistogramma' = 'unreliable line' (incomplete lateral line). Species 'agassizii' honours Swiss-American naturalist Louis Agassiz.
What can go wrong and how to spot it.
Failure modes, in order of how dramatic the fix is.
Sensitive to nitrate above 30 ppm. Susceptible to hexamita and bacterial infections in chronically poor water. Generally hardy when parameters are stable.
Often confused with cacatuoides — agassizii has a lyre/sword-shaped caudal, cacatuoides has extended dorsal rays without the sword tail. Both are 'Amazonian apistos' but they're distinct species.
The practical routine, read top to bottom.
75 L+ for a pair, 120 L+ for a harem. Sand substrate. Multiple caves spaced apart. Heavy planting around the cave perimeters. Tannins improve breeding behaviour. Sponge or low-flow filter.
4 weeks. Watch for hexamita and slow-onset wasting.
Where it comes from, how it behaves, and the variants you'll see at retail.
Where it lived before it came home.
Slow tributaries and floodplain pools across the Amazon basin. Tannin-stained, soft, acidic water with leaf litter, sunken wood, and dense submerged structure.
Insect larvae, small crustaceans, falling terrestrial invertebrates.
Not threatened. Captive-bred and wild-caught both common.
How they pair, reproduce, and grow.
Males larger (5–9 cm) with elongated lyre-shaped 'sword' tail and intense colour. Females smaller (4–5 cm), pale brown-grey out of breeding, neon-yellow with black accents when guarding eggs.
Easier than rams. Cave spawners — female deposits eggs on cave ceiling, guards aggressively. Soft slightly acidic water (pH 6.0–7.0), temperature 27–28 °C, multiple caves per harem female. Free-swimming fry eat baby brine shrimp.
The named cultivars and the lookalikes worth flagging.
Multiple wild regional colour forms: 'Red Tail Agassizii' (intense red caudal), 'Fire Red' (deeper red body), 'Double Red' (red on dorsal and caudal), 'Tefé Blue' (blue throat and pelvic fins), 'Gold' (selective). All same care.
Direct answers to the questions search engines and AI assistants surface most often about this species.
Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma agassizii) needs a minimum tank of 75 L (pair). They live in the mid to bottom water column and should be kept in groups of 2+, so a longer footprint matters more than depth.
Target 24–28 °C, pH 5.0–7.0, and 1–10 dGH hardness. Acclimate slowly when moving them between water sources.
Shrimp safety: Risky with dwarf shrimp. Plant safety: Yes.
Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid are carnivore. Frozen bloodworms, brine shrimp, micro pellets. Live food triggers spawning behaviour.
On Fin & Stem's 1–5 difficulty scale this species rates 3/5. Intermediate, stable parameters and a mature tank matter. Breeding difficulty: easy.
Typical lifespan in a well-maintained tank is 3–5 years.
A planted tank is a system. Pair this fish with one entry from each other pillar to plan the whole scape.
