All fish / Cichlidae

Viejita Dwarf Cichlid

Apistogramma viejita

Also known as viejita apisto, apistogramma viejita, red viejita, viejita cichlid, apistogramma macmasteri viejita, アピストグラマ・ヴィエジタ, 维吉塔短鲷

A small Colombian dwarf cichlid in which males show a pale body with a dark lateral band, blue facial lines and red edging on the dorsal and tail fins. It is kept for its colour and its interesting territorial and parental behaviour in planted, soft-water tanks.

Care at a glance

Care level

Moderate

Temperament

Semi

Adult size

5 cm

Temperature

24 to 29 °C

pH

5 to 7

Smallest tank

60 litres

Keep as

One male with one to three females

Diet

Carnivore: small live and frozen foods such as bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia, plus quality small granules

Swims

Bottom of the tank

Lifespan

3 to 5 years

Water

Freshwater

Wild range

Colombia: Río Meta drainage in the Orinoco basin

Breeding

A cave spawner where the female guards eggs and fry inside a small cave or coconut shell while the male defends the wider territory. Breeding is fairly achievable in soft, acidic, clean water, and pairs often raise fry themselves.

Good to know

Males become territorial when breeding, so give plenty of caves and sight breaks. It is often mixed up with the closely related A. macmasteri, and many traded fish are hybrids or misidentified.