Panda dwarf cichlid
Apistogramma nijsseni
advancedpeacefulbottom swimmerCichlidae
- Tank length
- 18 cm7 in
- Start with
- 2
- Temperature
- 24–29 °C75–84 °F
- pH
- 5.5–6
- Adult size
- 6 cm2 in
- Lifespan
- 3–5 yrs
Needs very soft, acidic water; brooding females show bold black-and-yellow panda markings and guard fiercely.Needs very soft, acidic water; brooding females show bold black-and-yellow panda markings and guard fiercely.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Acei cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Ajamaru rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- American flagfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Angfa rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Arfak rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Assassin snailNo shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Bandit cory
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Batanta rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Black kuhli loach
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Blood parrot cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Blue lyretail
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Blue rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 24–29 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 5.5–6 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 1–15 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Origin | Rio Ucayali drainage, Peru | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | advanced | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | sedentary | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | bottom | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | peaceful | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Nips fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Long fins | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Territorial | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lives in groups | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum group | 1 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Diet | carnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 3–5 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 8 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |