Apistogramma erythrura Breeding Guide

How to breed Apistogramma erythrura, a Bolivian Mamore-basin dwarf cichlid; a cave-spawning harem species that prefers soft, slightly acidic water.

Overview

Apistogramma erythrura is a dwarf cichlid from the lower Rio Mamore drainage in Beni province, Bolivia, with sites confirmed between the Rio Yata and Rio Itonamas drainages and a report from Lago das Cobras near Guajara-Mirim in Brazil. FishBase classifies it as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List (assessed 28 October 2020). Like other members of the genus, it is a cave spawner kept as a harem species, with the female providing maternal care while the male holds a territory.

Sexing

FishBase gives a maximum length of about 4.3 cm SL for males. As is typical for Apistogramma, the species is sexually dimorphic, with larger, more colourful males and breeding females most frequently yellow with blackish markings.

Conditioning

As a small predatory dwarf cichlid, A. erythrura is conditioned on small live and frozen foods. Stable soft, slightly acidic water and consistent feeding bring females into spawning condition, reproducing the soft waters of the lower Mamore drainage in which it occurs according to FishBase.

Breeding Setup

Provide caves or crevices for spawning in a soft, slightly acidic tank. FishBase lists a pH range of 5.2-6.4 and dH of 0-1, indicating very soft water. These conditions reflect the soft waters of the Mamore drainage where the species occurs.

Spawning Behaviour & Trigger

Following the genus pattern, spawning takes place inside a cave where the female attaches the eggs and tends them. The male defends the surrounding territory while the female cares for the brood. Soft, slightly acidic water supports egg development.

Egg & Fry Care

As in the genus generally, the female guards the eggs and leads the free-swimming fry while the male protects the territory. No species-specific egg count or fry timeline is published by the consulted sources, so brood care should be expected to follow the standard Apistogramma maternal pattern.

Common Challenges

Maintaining the very soft, slightly acidic water indicated for this species is the main requirement. Because detailed species-specific spawning data is limited, observing the fish closely and following the genus pattern is advisable. Wikipedia notes that nearly all Apistogramma spawn in crevices, typically in holes in sunken logs or branches or in leaf-litter aggregations, so reproducing such structure encourages spawning; it also notes that warmer water and, in some species, lower pH produce more males, so stable, moderate parameters help yield balanced broods.