Payaminonis Apisto (Apistogramma payaminonis) Care Guide
Apistogramma payaminonis is an Ecuadorian dwarf cichlid from the Payamino River basin, kept in soft, acidic blackwater.
Compiled by Aquairi from published sources · Published · Updated
Overview
Apistogramma payaminonis is a dwarf cichlid described by Kullander in 1986 in his work on the cichlid fishes of the Amazon River drainage of Peru. It originates from the Ecuadorian Amazon and belongs to the genus Apistogramma.
Taxonomy
- Family: Cichlidae
- Genus: Apistogramma
- Scientific name: Apistogramma payaminonis
- Described by: Kullander, 1986
Habitat
FishBase records the species from the Payamino River basin in the Napo River drainage, Ecuador, where it inhabits backwaters and shorelines within undisturbed rainforest. Like most Apistogramma, it favours sheltered freshwater with leaf litter and slow water movement (Wikipedia, genus account).
Tank requirements
- Minimum tank volume: 80 L
- Temperature: 25-29 C (77-84 F)
- pH: 4.5-6.5
- GH: 1-4 dGH
- Lifespan: 3-5 years
Diet
Members of the genus are omnivorous but tend toward micropredation, taking insect larvae and small invertebrates (Wikipedia). In the aquarium, Apistogramma are best offered live and frozen foods such as Artemia, Daphnia and chironomid larvae, with most 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
As a typical Apistogramma it spawns in crevices or cavities, with the female providing most post-spawning care of eggs and fry (Seriously Fish, genus account; Wikipedia).
Conservation status
IUCN Red List: Data Deficient (assessed 9 October 2014), per FishBase.
Apistogramma payaminonis Breeding Guide
Overview
Apistogramma payaminonis is a dwarf cichlid from the Amazon basin, in the Payamino River basin of the Napo River drainage, Ecuador. FishBase records a maximum length of 4.0 cm SL and notes it inhabits backwaters and shore in undisturbed rainforest. It is a cave spawner with female brood care; where species data is limited, the guide draws on the documented breeding pattern of the genus Apistogramma.
Sexing
Specific dimorphism for A. payaminonis is not detailed in available scientific sources. For the genus, males are generally larger with more extended, pointed unpaired fins and stronger colour, while females are smaller and rounder; this is documented for the genus rather than confirmed for this species.
Conditioning
The species is a small carnivore best conditioned on small live and frozen invertebrate foods, in a soft, warm tank reflecting its quiet rainforest backwater habitat.
Breeding Setup
- Water: soft and acidic, warm tropical backwater conditions
- Habitat cues: quiet backwaters and shaded shore (FishBase notes undisturbed rainforest backwaters)
- Spawning sites: enclosed caves; eggs attached to the cave ceiling
- Layout: sand substrate with small caves (genus pattern)
Spawning Behavior & Trigger
FishBase states that eggs are attached to the ceiling of caves and that the female cares for eggs and larvae. For the genus, nearly all Apistogramma spawn in crevices or small caves and most use a polygamous harem strategy in which the male defends a territory containing several females. Soft, warm, acidic water reproducing the natural backwater habitat encourages spawning.
Egg & Fry Care
The female tends the clutch in the cave and guards larvae and free-swimming fry, while the male defends the territory, as documented for the genus. For Apistogramma generally, warmer and more acidic water tends to skew the sex ratio toward males; this is a genus-level observation with species-specific data for A. payaminonis limited.
Common Challenges
Maintaining quiet, soft, warm, acidic water with low flow is the main practical concern. IUCN lists the species as Data Deficient (assessed 2014), reflecting limited field information.