Checkerboard Cichlid

• ExerciseLow

  A calm, unhurried swimmer — peaceful surroundings suit them best.

• GroomingAttentive tank care

  Sensitive to water quality — stay on top of testing and maintenance.

• Living spaceNano-tank friendly

  Happy in a small, stable, well-filtered tank.

• Owner experienceSome experience helps

  A little know-how makes life smoother.

• Commitment3–5 years

  Plan for a long, loving relationship.

Health to watch: Ich (white spot) · Fin rot · Swim bladder disorder

The Checkerboard Cichlid (Dicrossus filamentosus) comes from blackwater tributaries of the Rio Negro and Orinoco and reaches about 8 cm for males including the extended tail lobes, with females around 5 cm. Its pattern is a neat double row of dark squares along a silver body, and mature males develop the lyre-shaped caudal fin that gives the species its name. This is a soft-water specialist. It needs 80 litres or more at 26-29C in genuinely soft, acidic water, pH 4.5 to 6.5, tinted with leaf litter or wood tannins and dimly lit; in hard alkaline water it fades, refuses to breed and is short-lived. Feed live and frozen small foods such as cyclops, baby brine shrimp, daphnia and grindal worms, as many specimens ignore dry food. It is shy and slow to compete, so tankmates must be small and calm, ideally pencilfish or small tetras from the same habitat. Females spawn on a leaf and guard alone. Honestly assessed, this is a rewarding fish for a keeper already running a blackwater tank and a poor choice for a general community.

• How active is a Checkerboard Cichlid?

  Low. A calm, unhurried swimmer — peaceful surroundings suit them best.

• How much maintenance does a Checkerboard Cichlid need?

  Attentive tank care. Sensitive to water quality — stay on top of testing and maintenance.

• What tank size does a Checkerboard Cichlid need?

  Nano-tank friendly. Happy in a small, stable, well-filtered tank.

• Is a Checkerboard Cichlid a good fit for first-time owners?

  Some experience helps. A little know-how makes life smoother.

• How long do Checkerboard Cichlid live?

  3–5 years. Plan for a long, loving relationship.

• What health issues affect the Checkerboard Cichlid?

  Keep an eye out for Ich (white spot), Fin rot, Swim bladder disorder. These are worth raising with your vet, along with any screening they recommend.

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