Viejita dwarf cichlid

Geographic Origin and Biotope: Endemic to the Orinoco basin in Colombia and Venezuela (Rio Meta). Lives in pools and oxbow lakes with very slow or zero flow, in grassy savannas, with muddy bottoms totally covered by thick leaf litter.

Taxonomy and Morphology: Viejita Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma viejita). Part of the "macmasteri" group, but with a markedly more elongated, slender and aerodynamic silhouette compared to the stockiness of the true A. macmasteri.

Social Behavior: Extremely territorial and egocentric male, not suitable for cramped shared spaces. Stubbornly guards the females and fiercely unfolds the high notched dorsal fin against any potential rival, even through the glass.

Coloration and Sexual Dimorphism: Males are stunning: silvery gray with a clear lateral stripe, fiery spots on the gills (and often on the belly), and the famous dorsal fin bordered with glowing orange. The shrunken female becomes canary yellow with jet black spots on the belly.

Aquarium Setup: Specialized tank of minimum 80 cm (32 inches). Requires liters of tannins and amber water. The very soft sand bottom is essential for sifting. Provide a myriad of clay tubes or overturned coconuts, far apart from each other.

Diet and Feeding: Tireless hunter. Sifts the sand retaining invertebrates (Micro-predator). Needs live protein food (Daphnia, Grindal) or frozen (Bloodworms and Brine shrimp) every day in order not to waste away in the tank.

Water Quality: Demands absolute purity and constancy: very soft and slightly acidic water. Nitrites and ammonia at absolute zero. A filter failure triggers bacterial ulcers or an inexorable decay of the delicate coloration.

Compatibility and Tankmates: Absolutely banned together with large bottom "cleaners" or aggressive Cichlids. Shares the tank serenely only with calm and floating "dither fish" like the Hatchetfish (Carnegiella) and some docile Neon tetras.

Aquarium Reproduction: "Cave" spawner. The female lays and adheres dark eggs to the roof of the most remote crevice. She will chase away the male, physically dominating him for weeks to protect the brood, even risking murdering him in short tanks.

Risks and Diseases: The true "Viejita" on the market is almost never found: it is 99% a hybrid with A. macmasteri. The hybrids are very delicate: they present swimming defects or widespread sterility at the first drop in temperature.