SOUTH AMERICAN CICHLIDS.
Order Perciformes
Family Cichlidae
Subfamily Geophaginae
Continued…
Genus Apistogramma.
— Apistogramma alacrina [Kullander, 2004] — (A 106). Guaviare and Caqueta river basins in Colombia and Venezuela. Males 6 cm, females 4 cm. The male is one and a half to two times larger than the female. The male shimmers with all the colors of the rainbow. The coloration is soft turquoise. The forehead of the males is rounded and convex. Has a dark spot on the belly at the base of the pectoral fins, which is clearer in females.
The female is soft lemon-colored. The caudal fin is rounded. The female guards the eggs and fry. During this period, she becomes very aggressive towards the male and may kill him. Juveniles grow slowly. Water temperature 27-29 degrees, pH 5.5-6.0.
— Apistogramma atahualpa [Romer, 1997] — (A 175). Peru, Rio Ucuyali river basin. Thick-lipped fish, growing to quite large sizes, 9 cm male, females 5 cm. In the male, the body has a base color of orange and brown, with bright yellow cheeks and belly, the upper part of the back with a pale blue stripe. An indistinct lateral stripe that can be light or dark depending on mood. Oblique stripes run down and back through the eyes. Black spots on the caudal peduncle. Ventral and anal fins are blue, and the dorsal fin has a blue stripe and yellow edging.
The first rays of the dorsal fin in the male are high and elongated, with dark spots at the base. The caudal fin in the male is rounded to lyrate with black markings, in the female – rounded. The ends of the dorsal and anal fins of the male are filamentous and elongated, in the female – rounded, the ventral fins are black. Females during spawning are bright yellow with contrasting black spots, while the lateral stripe disappears.
Currently, two forms of A. atahualpa have been described: — A 176 – A. cf. atahualpa “Sunset”. Rio Nanay River (Peru); — A 177 – A. cf. atahualpa “Schwanzzipfel”.
This species has a reputation for being quite aggressive fish, however, when kept in large groups, aggression is dispersed. Aquarium with plenty of hiding places and dense vegetation. Water is soft and acidic. Regular water changes are mandatory. Eggs are laid on the inner walls of a cave, which is tended by the female. The male at this time hides in the far corner of the aquarium. pH 5.5-6.5.
— Apistogramma acrensis [Staeck, 2003]. Synonyms: A. sp. “Rio Acre”, A. sp. “Rio Branco”. Brazil, Acre River basin. 5-7 cm. The general brown-gray coloration with a metallic sheen contrasts with the ivory-colored belly. On the head, a pattern of wavy red stripes and spots on the cheeks and snout. Distinct cheek stripe.
The lateral stripe begins from the eye as a thin line, then expands behind the gill cover and ends before reaching the caudal spot. Typical for this species is the expansion of the lateral stripe in the region of the 6th and 7th transverse stripes. The oval-shaped caudal spot covers from half to two-thirds of the caudal fin base.
The caudal fin is rounded, transparent, with a pattern of wide stripes. The dorsal fin is milky blue. Males are slightly larger than females. In males, the rear part of the dorsal fin and the anal fin are elongated and pointed. The membranes of the dorsal fin in males almost reach the height of the rays.
Females have a short stripe on the belly, the front part of the ventral fins is jet black. In males, the iris of the eyes is golden-orange, while in females it is golden-yellow. Most often, males have a more clearly defined striped pattern on the caudal fin.
The aquarium should have plenty of hiding places, driftwood, stones, and plant thickets, with fine sand on the bottom. They tolerate pH changes well. When kept in water with a pH of less than 5.5, fecundity decreases and lifespan shortens. Males occupy relatively small territories and rarely allow more than one female to be there.
Sexual maturity occurs at 6 months. Spawning takes place in a cave-like shelter. The female takes care of the offspring alone without the participation of the male, who is only allowed to catch fry that swim too far and return them back. dH up to 15°; pH 6.0-7.5; T 24-25°C.
— Apistogramma amoena [Cope, 1872]. (Eng. Pleasant cichlid). Peru. Male 7 cm, and female 5 cm. Not very bright in coloration. The main color of these fish is yellowish, the scales are bordered by a dark stripe and therefore stand out well. A dark, almost black longitudinal stripe runs from the eyes to the tail. A wide dark stripe also runs from the eyes across the gill covers. A black vertical border stands out at the base of the tail.
While the lower part of the head is golden-yellow, the upper part has greenish shiny spots, and the gill covers shimmer with various shades of colors. The fins are gray-yellow, almost transparent. The base of the dorsal fin is black, as are its first two rays. The female lays eggs on the wall of a pot. pH about 6, water temperature 22-26°C.
Apistogramma barlowi, Apistogramma bitaeniata, Apistogramma borellii.
Description of the genus Apistogramma, Apistogramma agassizi. 
