Cichlids · Cleithracara
Keyhole cichlid
Cleithracara maronii · Blackwater coastal creeks of the Guianas, Orinoco delta and Trinidad
Photo: User:D.W., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Water temperature
21–28 °C 70–82 °F
pH
4–7.5 soft, acidic water
Adult size ≈
10 cm 3.9 in
Swims ≈
Mid-water mostly in open water
Keep together
2 or more a shoal feels safe
Current
Calm still or slow water
Food
Eats most foods
Temperament
Peaceful
Where it comes from
Home water
Blackwater coastal creeks of the Guianas, Orinoco delta and Trinidad
Orinoco
Lives in blackwater 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
-
Candy stripe L015
Plecos · 10 cm · bottom -
Zebra L046
Plecos · 8 cm · bottom -
Amano shrimp
Shrimp & snails · 5 cm · bottom -
Boeseman's rainbowfish
Rainbowfish · 10 cm · mid-water -
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
Keep apart
-
Aggressive and will eat the keyhole cichlid
-
Will eat the keyhole cichlid
-
Need a different pH
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 Keyhole cichlid get?
About 10 cm (3.9 in) as an adult.
What temperature does a Keyhole cichlid need?
21–28 °C (70–82 °F).
What pH does a Keyhole cichlid need?
pH 4–7.5.
Does a Keyhole cichlid need to be kept in a group?
Yes. Keep at least 2.
Is the Keyhole cichlid aggressive?
No. It is peaceful with fish that suit the same water.
What does a Keyhole cichlid eat?
It eats most foods: flakes, small pellets and frozen foods.
Where does the Keyhole cichlid come from?
Blackwater coastal creeks of the Guianas, Orinoco delta and Trinidad.
What fish can live with a Keyhole cichlid?
Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Zebra (L046), Amano shrimp, Boeseman's rainbowfish, Bolivian ram.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 21 | Sourced |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 28 | Sourced |
| pH min | 4 | Sourced |
| pH max | 7.5 | Sourced |
| Adult size (cm) | 10 | Estimate |
| Flow | Low | Sourced |
| Swim level (top / middle / bottom) | middle | Estimate |
| Habitat | blackwater | Estimate |
| Smallest happy group | 2 | Sourced |
| Temperament | Peaceful | Sourced |
| Diet | Omnivore | Sourced |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.