Golden dwarf cichlid care
Nannacara anomala · Rivers of Guyana and Suriname, from the Aruka to the Maroni
Golden dwarf cichlids (goldeneye cichlids) are small, hardy cichlids for a planted community: males shine metallic green-gold, while females turn checkered black when guarding fry.
- Tank size
- 20 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 72 to 80 °F (22 to 27 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 2.2 in
- pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 2 to 12 dGH
- Lifespan
- 4 to 6 years
- Diet
- Omnivore
- Care level
- Easy
In a 20 gallon long
30¼ × 12½ × 12¾ in outsideHow to keep golden dwarf cichlids
Golden dwarf cichlids (goldeneye cichlids) are small, hardy cichlids for a planted community: males shine metallic green-gold, while females turn checkered black when guarding fry. A pair suits a 20 gallon or larger tank at 72 to 80 °F with caves and plants.
Diet: Omnivore: small pellets, flakes, frozen foods. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Golden dwarf cichlid tank mates
Share the temperature and water, and neither side eats, nips or bullies the other. Check the full group in the stocking checker.
Bloodfin tetra
2.2 in · 20+ gal · 65–82 °F
Diamond tetra
2.4 in · 20+ gal · 72–82 °F
Bleeding heart tetra
2.4 in · 20+ gal · 72–80 °F
Penguin tetra
2.4 in · 20+ gal · 72–82 °F
Chocolate gourami
2.4 in · 20+ gal · 77–81 °F
Lyretail killifish
2.4 in · 10+ gal · 70–79 °F
Rummy-nose tetra
2 in · 20+ gal · 75–82 °F
Silvertip tetra
2 in · 20+ gal · 72–82 °F
Keep apart
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Cherry shrimp: Golden dwarf cichlids eat shrimp.
Amano shrimp: Golden dwarf cichlids eat shrimp.
Ghost shrimp: Golden dwarf cichlids eat shrimp.
African dwarf frog: African dwarf frogs are slow and get bullied or outcompeted by golden dwarf cichlids.
Crystal red shrimp: Golden dwarf cichlids eat shrimp.
What a golden dwarf cichlid tank needs
A tank of 20 US gallons or more (such as the 20 gallon long) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aqueon PRO QuietFlow Power Filter 10
Rated by the maker for up to 20 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon golden dwarf cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 15–30 gal
Rated by the maker for 15–30 US gal, which covers a 20 gallon golden dwarf cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 100W
Golden dwarf cichlids need 72 to 80 °F; most homes run cooler, so a heater holds the temperature.
API Freshwater Master Test Kit
Tests ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH, the readings that matter most before and after adding golden dwarf cichlids.
Seachem Prime 100 mL
Removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water at every water change.
Fluval Edge Thermometer
Shows the water temperature at a glance, so you know it stays within 72 to 80 °F.
More choices, each with the reason it is in or out: Filters for a 20 gallon tank · Heaters for a 20 gallon tank. We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common golden dwarf cichlid problems
- A guarding female chases other fish from her fry, sometimes the male too; a larger tank gives him room.
- They eat baby shrimp.
Test the water first whenever fish look unwell: see what your readings mean, then match the symptom. For disease, a vet who treats fish can diagnose it and advise treatment.
More to compare
Sources
Name, origin and adult size checked against Wikipedia: Nannacara anomala. Temperature, pH, hardness, group size, lifespan and minimum tank size are common hobby guidance, not figures from that article. Ranges are the range the species tolerates; aim for the middle. Minimum tank sizes are for an adult group. Drawings are our own; photo credits follow.
Photo credits
Real photographs from Wikimedia Commons, resized and cropped to fit; each is used under the license named.
- Golden dwarf cichlid Borkowski.robert, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bloodfin tetra VGW2006, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Diamond tetra SOK, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Bleeding heart tetra 5snake5, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Penguin tetra Kkonstan, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Chocolate gourami OSt DD, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Lyretail killifish Alexander Prokoshev, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Rummy-nose tetra PierangeloGatto, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Silvertip tetra Filtropat; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cherry shrimp TheJammingYam, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Amano shrimp Stefanie Leuker, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Ghost shrimp Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- African dwarf frog Stuart Halliday, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Crystal red shrimp DirkBlankenhaus, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Discus Patrick Farrelly, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- German blue ram Eric Mengel, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Cockatoo dwarf cichlid William Kreijkes, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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