Macmasteri dwarf cichlid

Care at a glance

Apistogramma macmasteri is, after the cacatuoides, the best-selling dwarf cichlid, especially in the selectively bred form with a red head and red tail edges sold as red neck or gold red. Males reach about eight centimetres, females stay half that size and turn bright yellow when guarding eggs.

Give a pair a roomy, densely planted tank with soft, acidic water, fine sand and a few small caves or coconut shells. It is peaceful towards other species, but a brooding female chases everything away from her nest. Combine it with small tetras that stay in the upper water layer and not with other bottom-dwelling cichlids in a small tank.

Good to know

• Territorial

Related species

• Lemon cichlid (leleupi)Neolamprologus leleupi
• Golden dwarf cichlid (nannacara)Nannacara anomala
• Midas cichlid (red devil)Amphilophus citrinellus
• Tropheus (duboisi, moorii)Tropheus sp.
• Maingano cichlidMelanochromis cyaneorhabdos
• Spotted blue-eyePseudomugil gertrudae