Umbrella dwarf cichlid care
Apistogramma borellii · Paraguay and Paraná river basins, South America
The umbrella dwarf cichlid is a small apistogramma from the Paraguay and Paraná rivers, further south than most of its relatives, so it takes cooler water (70 to 79 °F).
- Tank size
- 15 US gal or larger
- Temperature
- 70 to 79 °F (21 to 26 °C)
- Group size
- Alone or in a pair
- Temperament
- Semi-aggressive
- Adult size
- 1.5 in (standard length of the largest males, without the tail; females are smaller)
- pH
- 6 to 7.5
- Hardness (GH)
- 2 to 12 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3 to 5 years
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Care level
- Moderate
In a 15 gallon
24¼ × 12½ × 12¾ in outsideHow to keep umbrella dwarf cichlids
The umbrella dwarf cichlid is a small apistogramma from the Paraguay and Paraná rivers, further south than most of its relatives, so it takes cooler water (70 to 79 °F). Males are yellow and blue with a tall, umbrella-like dorsal fin. Keep a pair or one male with two females in a planted 15 gallon or larger tank with caves; the female guards the eggs and fry.
Diet: Carnivore: small pellets, frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia. Fish food types compared · how often to feed.
Where they swim: Bottom of the tank.
Umbrella 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.
Black neon tetra
1.5 in · 10+ gal · 73–81 °F
Glowlight tetra
1.5 in · 10+ gal · 72–80 °F
Marbled hatchetfish
1.5 in · 20+ gal · 75–82 °F
Medaka
1.5 in · 10+ gal · 65–82 °F
Glowlight danio
1.5 in · 15+ gal · 66–75 °F
Neon tetra
1.6 in · 10+ gal · 70–79 °F
Serpae tetra
1.6 in · 20+ gal · 72–79 °F
Sparkling gourami
1.6 in · 10+ gal · 76–82 °F
Keep apart
Angelfish: Adult angelfish eat fish under about 2 in; umbrella dwarf cichlids grow to 1.5 in.
Pea puffer: Pea puffers belong in a tank of their own.
Fancy goldfish: Adult fancy goldfish eat fish under about 2 in; umbrella dwarf cichlids grow to 1.5 in.
Cherry shrimp: Umbrella dwarf cichlids eat shrimp.
Amano shrimp: Umbrella dwarf cichlids eat shrimp.
Ghost shrimp: Umbrella dwarf cichlids eat shrimp.
What an umbrella dwarf cichlid tank needs
A tank of 15 US gallons or more (such as the 15 gallon) with a cover, and the equipment below.
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Aquarium Co-Op Easy Flow Sponge Filter, Small
A sponge filter gives gentle flow and cannot pull in small fish. It runs from an air pump, with airline tubing and a check valve, all sold separately.
Aqueon QuietFlow Internal Power Filter 5–15 gal
Rated by the maker for 5–15 US gal, which covers a 15 gallon umbrella dwarf cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger AquaFall Aquarium Filter, M
Rated by the maker for 12–17 US gal, which covers a 15 gallon umbrella dwarf cichlid tank without being built for a far bigger one.
hygger Precise Aquarium Heater 100W
Umbrella dwarf cichlids need 70 to 79 °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 umbrella 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 70 to 79 °F.
We don’t list fish food: any good brand of the foods under Diet will do. Plan the whole tank's equipment →
Common umbrella dwarf cichlid problems
- Two males in a small tank fight; keep one male per tank.
- Shy in a bare tank; caves, plants and leaf litter bring them out.
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 and origin checked against Wikipedia: Apistogramma borellii; adult size from FishBase: Apistogramma borellii. 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.
- Umbrella dwarf cichlid Gordon Axmann, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Black neon tetra Debivort, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight tetra gonzalovalenzuela; cropped by Kyknos, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Marbled hatchetfish Sven Kullander, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Medaka Seotaro, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Glowlight danio Melanochromis, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Neon tetra Holger Krisp, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Serpae tetra Faucon, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
- Sparkling gourami BEDO (Thailand), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Angelfish Citron, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Pea puffer Beta Mahatvaraj, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Fancy goldfish Benson Kua, CC BY-SA 2.0, 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
- 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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