Gibbiceps Apisto (Apistogramma gibbiceps) Care Guide
Apistogramma gibbiceps is a dwarf cichlid from the Branco and middle Negro basins in Brazil, kept in soft, acidic blackwater.
Overview
Apistogramma gibbiceps is a dwarf cichlid of the family Cichlidae, originally described by Meinken in 1969 and redescribed by Kullander in 1980. It belongs to the genus Apistogramma, a group of small South American cichlids restricted to the lowlands east of the Andes.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Apistogramma
- Scientific name: Apistogramma gibbiceps
- Described by: Meinken, 1969
Habitat
FishBase records the species from the Amazon River basin, specifically the Branco and middle Negro River basins in Brazil. As with other Apistogramma, it occupies sheltered freshwater habitats; Wikipedia notes that most members of the genus prefer shallow, slow-moving water with leaf litter on the bottom.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 100 L
- Temperature: 26-30 C (79-86 F)
- pH: 4.0-6.0
- GH: 1-3 dGH
- Lifespan: 3-5 years
Diet
Apistogramma are omnivorous but tend toward micropredation, taking aquatic insect larvae and small invertebrates (Wikipedia). In the aquarium the genus is best fed live and frozen foods such as Artemia, Daphnia, Moina and chironomid larvae, with most fish also accepting dried pellets (Seriously Fish, genus account).
Compatibility
The KB record classifies the species as bottom-dwelling and semi-aggressive. For the genus, Seriously Fish recommends keeping wild fish alone or with small dither fishes and not mixing different Apistogramma in the same aquarium.
Breeding
Like other members of the genus, it is a substrate spawner that lays eggs in crevices or cavities, with the female mainly responsible for post-spawning care of eggs and fry (Seriously Fish, genus account; Wikipedia).
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (assessed 7 November 2018), per FishBase.