Juruensis Apisto (Apistogramma juruensis) Care Guide
Apistogramma juruensis is a South American dwarf cichlid; this guide covers its habitat, water parameters, diet, compatibility and breeding.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Apistogramma juruensis is a dwarf cichlid of the family Cichlidae, described by Kullander, 1986. It is native to the upper Jurua River basin within the Amazon River system in Brazil. According to FishBase, it reaches about 2.4 cm in standard length.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Scientific name: Apistogramma juruensis
- Describing authority: Kullander, 1986
Habitat
The upper Jurua River basin within the Amazon River system in Brazil forms the natural range of this species. Like most members of the genus, it favours sheltered margins of streams and creeks with leaf litter and gentle flow. Apistogramma species typically occur in shallow water, often less than 40 cm deep.
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L (~21 US gal)
- Temperature: 25-29 °C (77-84 °F)
- pH: 4.5-6.5
- GH: 1-4 °dGH
- Adult size: 5-8 cm
- Lifespan: 3-5 years
Diet
Apistogramma are omnivores that lean toward micropredation, feeding on aquatic insect larvae, small invertebrates and other tiny prey in nature. In the aquarium they take live and frozen foods such as bloodworms, brine shrimp and water fleas, and many specimens also accept prepared foods.
Compatibility
This is a semi-aggressive, bottom-oriented dwarf cichlid. It is best kept with peaceful upper- and mid-water dither fish such as Cardinal Tetra, Rummy-Nose Tetra, Sterbai Corydoras, Hatchetfish. Housing more than one male of the same species, or combining it with angelfish or larger aggressive cichlids, is discouraged because of territorial conflict, particularly during breeding.
Breeding
Apistogramma are cave spawners. Eggs are laid on the ceiling of a cave or sheltered cavity, and the female tends the eggs and fry while the male guards the wider territory. Soft, slightly acidic water supports spawning.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Least Concern (LC), assessed 2018.
Apistogramma juruensis Breeding Guide
Overview
Apistogramma juruensis is a benthopelagic dwarf cichlid of the upper Jurua River basin within the Amazon system in Brazil. According to FishBase it is a cave spawner: eggs are attached to the ceiling of caves and the female cares for the eggs and larvae. As across the genus, the female provides maternal care while the male defends a territory.
Sexing
As is typical for Apistogramma, the species is sexually dimorphic, with males larger and more strongly coloured than females and breeding females most frequently yellow with blackish markings. FishBase reports that sexual maturity is reached after 3-4 months.
Conditioning
As a small predatory dwarf cichlid, A. juruensis is conditioned on small live and frozen foods. Stable soft, acidic water and consistent feeding bring females into spawning condition, reproducing the soft waters of the upper Jurua River basin in which it occurs according to FishBase.
Breeding Setup
Provide caves with a ceiling on which eggs can be attached, in a soft, acidic tank. FishBase gives a temperature range of 22-29 degrees C for the species. Following the genus, warm, soft and acidic water supports spawning and egg development.
Spawning Behaviour & Trigger
Spawning takes place inside a cave, where the female attaches the eggs to the ceiling. According to FishBase the female then cares for both eggs and larvae, while the male defends the surrounding territory in line with the typical Apistogramma pattern.
Egg & Fry Care
The female tends the eggs on the cave ceiling and guards and leads the larvae after hatching. No species-specific egg count is published by the consulted sources, but care follows the maternal pattern documented for the genus.
Common Challenges
As a soft-water Amazonian species, A. juruensis requires stable, soft and acidic conditions for successful spawning. Because detailed species-specific spawning data is limited, observing the fish 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.