Tropical Fish Hobbyist - October 2010

Apistogramma steindachneri.

While a large majority of Apistogramma cichlids are very small fish, which makes them impossible for hobbyists to house with larger South American cichlids, there are luckily some exceptions. Apistogramma steindachneri is undoubtedly one of these, as its substantial size makes it possible to keep with many other species of South American cichlids. Its other assets are interesting coloration and general hardiness.

The fish was first studied as early as
1875 by Franz Steindachner, and this
is the origin of its specific epithet. The
species has a characteristic black lateral
spot and a lateral band of the same color,
while mature males boast a lyrate (lyre-
shaped) caudal fin. This dwarf cichlid is
a hardy fish, which, unlike the majority
of the Apistogramma species, does not
require soft and acidic water—it is
perfectly comfortable at a pH of 7 and
general hardness of up to 10 dGH. That
is truly a great asset when keeping these
fish; one is not forced to bother preparing
the water using, for instance, an RO filter,
which can be costly and time consuming.

Conditions in
the Aquarium

This species grows to a medium size. The males may slightly exceed 10 cm ( 4 inches) and the females are half that length on average. This allows you to keep them with mid-sized cichlids with no need to worry that they will become a snack. In my aquarium I have kept them with large Geophagus, Satanoperca, Aequidens, Heros, and other similarly sized species.

The appropriate tank length is dependent on the number of fish being kept. I know from experience that the minimum for a male and two females is a 100-cm (40- inch) long tank. If you have a larger number of males, the tank should be suitably bigger, for instance 130 to 150 cm ( 50 to 60 inches) long. The height is not as important because the fish keep to the bottom of the tank.