Origin : Alto Tapiche are certainly one of the prettiest and most rare of dwarf cichlids. Males have stunning blue bodies with several rows of red scales forming a zig-zag on their abdomens. Bright yellow-gold fins accent an already beautiful body. These fish are from a remote region in Peru - one that takes several days to reach by boat from the main Peruvian exporters. The Rio Tapiche is primarily a white-water river, but it is stained with blackwater that enters via the Rio Blanco and other tributaries. The small streams on the outskirts of the Rio Tapiche are several inches deep, with white sand, small branches, and leaf litter as the only obstacles.
Extremely rare fish in Australia as only 20 fish have ever been imported (to our knowledge)
Difficulty in keeping: Advanced
Maximum size: 8-9cm Males 5-6 cm Females
Selling size: 3-4 cm and above
Temperature: 22 – 29 °C (25°C preferred)
pH: 6-7.8 Our fish are bred and grown at a ph between 6.0 and 7.5
Diet: Primarily carnivorous and apparently feeds mostly on benthic invertebrates in nature. In the aquarium live and frozen foods such as Brine shrimp, Daphnia and Blackworms should be offered regularly although most specimens will also learn to accept dried alternatives with pelleted products generally preferred to flake.
Disclaimer: Photos are taken of our own fish and usually the breeding parents, photos are for reference only and actual fish you will receive might slightly vary. For this particular fish we had to use a stock photo as we haven't fully grown out our sub adults to full adults.