Chocolate cichlid
Hypselecara temporalis
- Tank length
- 150 cmabout 5 ft (59 in)
- Start with
- 1
- Temperature
- 25–30 °C77–86 °F
- pH
- 5.5–7.8
- Adult size
- 20 cm8 in
- Lifespan
- 10–15 yrs
A relatively calm large cichlid that will still eat small fish; keep in a spacious tank with large peaceful companions.A relatively calm large cichlid that will still eat small fish; keep in a spacious tank with large peaceful companions.
Tank sizes
Good tankmates
Avoid with
- African clawed frog
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Blue acara
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
Celestial pearl danioNo shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Dusky millions fish
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Glowlight danio
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Golden dwarf barb
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Pearl danio
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Ticto barb
No shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
Zebra danioNo shared temperature rangeNo shared temperature range
- Alligator gar
Alligator gar may eat Chocolate cichlidAlligator gar may eat Chocolate cichlid
- Arapaima
Arapaima may eat Chocolate cichlidArapaima may eat Chocolate cichlid
- Asian arowana
Asian arowana may eat Chocolate cichlidAsian arowana may eat Chocolate cichlid
Data used by the planner
| Temperature | 25–30 | AqAdvisor (aqadvisor.com), retrieved 2026-10-04; agrees with FishBase (fishbase.se), retrieved 2026-10-04 · medium confidence |
|---|---|---|
| pH | 5.5–7.8 | 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 · low confidence |
| Origin | Amazon basin, Brazil, Peru and Colombia | 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 | middle | 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) | 10–15 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Months to adult size | 24 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · low confidence |
| Safe with plants | Yes | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |
| Minimum tank length | 150 | curated-v0 (needs expert review) · medium confidence |