Cichlids · Apistogramma
Borelli's dwarf cichlid
Apistogramma borellii · Creeks of the Paraguay, lower Parana and Uruguay systems (Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay)
Photo: Dornenwolf, CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist
At a glance
Water temperature
20–26 °C 68–79 °F
pH
5–8 neutral water
Adult size
6.5 cm 2.6 in
Swims ≈
Bottom mostly on the floor and in caves
Keep together
2 or more a shoal feels safe
Current
Calm still or slow water
Food
Meaty foods
Temperament
Peaceful
Where it comes from
Home water
Creeks of the Paraguay, lower Parana and Uruguay systems (Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay)
Paraná, Uruguay
Lives in stream habitat.
The dot is placed on its home rivers, not an exact collecting site. Map: Natural Earth.
Tank mates
Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with low flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.
Good together
- Peppermint bristlenose L181 Plecos · 13 cm · bottom
-
Flash pleco L204
Plecos · 11 cm · bottom -
Amano shrimp
Shrimp & snails · 5 cm · bottom -
Bolivian ram
Cichlids · 8 cm · bottom -
Bronze corydoras
Corydoras · 7 cm · bottom -
Butterfly hillstream loach
Loaches · 8 cm · bottom -
Cardinal tetra
Tetras · 4 cm · mid-water -
Celestial pearl danio
Rasboras & danios · 2.5 cm · mid-water
Keep apart
-
Will eat the borelli's dwarf cichlid
-
Aggressive and will eat the borelli's dwarf cichlid
In the hobby
Where to find it
No store or breeder we know of has it right now.
Run a store? List the fish you usually have. Breed fish? List your fry.
Tanks with this fish
No shared tanks have this fish yet. Share yours from Your tanks.
From keepers
Notes appear here when a keeper shares a tank with this fish and writes about it.
Questions keepers ask
How big does a Borelli's dwarf cichlid get?
About 6.5 cm (2.6 in) as an adult.
What temperature does a Borelli's dwarf cichlid need?
20–26 °C (68–79 °F).
What pH does a Borelli's dwarf cichlid need?
pH 5–8.
Does a Borelli's dwarf cichlid need to be kept in a group?
Yes. Keep at least 2.
Is the Borelli's dwarf cichlid aggressive?
No. It is peaceful with fish that suit the same water.
What does a Borelli's dwarf cichlid eat?
Feed meaty foods: frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and quality sinking pellets.
Where does the Borelli's dwarf cichlid come from?
Creeks of the Paraguay, lower Parana and Uruguay systems (Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Uruguay).
What fish can live with a Borelli's dwarf cichlid?
Good tank mates include Peppermint bristlenose (L181), Flash pleco (L204), Amano shrimp, Bolivian ram, Bronze corydoras.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 20 | Sourced |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 26 | Sourced |
| pH min | 5 | Sourced |
| pH max | 8 | Sourced |
| Adult size (cm) | 6.5 | Sourced |
| Flow | Low | Sourced |
| Swim level (top / middle / bottom) | bottom | Estimate |
| Habitat | stream | Estimate |
| Smallest happy group | 2 | Sourced |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Sourced |
| Diet | Carnivore | Sourced |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.
