Pastel cichlid
Astatheros alfari
moderatesemi aggressivebottom swimmerCichlidae
- Tank length
- 120 cmabout 4 ft (47 in)
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 20–34 °C68–93 °F
- pH
- 6.5–7
- Adult size
- 15 cm6 in
- Lifespan
- 8–12 yrs
A Central American sand sifter that becomes territorial when breeding; give open sand plus rock caves.A Central American sand sifter that becomes territorial when breeding; give open sand plus rock caves.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- Acei cichlid
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Ajamaru rainbowfish
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
- Batanta rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Blue rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Brevis shell dweller
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Caudopunctatus
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Corona rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Grime rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Irian Jaya rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
- Japen rainbowfish
No shared pH rangeNo shared pH range
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 20–34 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 6.5–7 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Hardness (dGH) | 2–10 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
| Origin | Atlantic slope of Honduras to Panama | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Beginner friendly | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Care level | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Activity | moderate | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Swimming level | bottom | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Temperament | semi aggressive | 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 | omnivore | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Lifespan (years) | 8–12 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 18 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | No | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum tank length | 120 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |