Black Stripe Dwarf Cichlid
Taeniacara candidi
Cichlidae
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About
Taeniacara candidi is not the next Apistogramma to try - it is the one to attempt after several of them have gone well for years. Seriously Fish puts the difficulty first: these are 'a highly attractive species, but require very specific water parameters and as such are seen as a challenge amongst even experienced south american cichlid keepers'. The parameters in question are pH 4.5-5.8 and hardness 'Very soft, usually no more than 1°dH', at 27-30 °C, which is not water that comes out of a tap anywhere in Lithuania; it is osmosis water, re-mineralised barely if at all, run over peat and leaf litter. The same profile adds the trait that catches people out: 'Candidi are renowned for not liking water changes - they will commonly get "moody" after a water change, and will sulk at the bottom of the tank for over a day in some cases', with the advice to bring the new water to the tank's temperature first. It is also a genuinely quarrelsome little fish. Seriously Fish calls it 'one of the most aggressive dwarf cichlids around' and warns that 'If more than one male is placed in a tank smaller than 48", it is highly likely that the dominant male will kill all of the other males'; Aquadiction's profile agrees and recommends 'either as a pair or in a harem configuration with one male and multiple females', with FishBase noting the underlying biology - 'The male is very active sexually and it spawns with several females, even at the same time. Females care for the eggs and larvae.' Toward other species it is no trouble at all, and the standard advice is small peaceful mid- and top-water dither fish - hatchetfish, pencilfish, rasboras, tetras. Taxonomically it is its own small story: Taeniacara candidi Myers, 1935, subfamily Geophaginae, and the only species FishBase lists in its genus. FishBase reads the genus name as 'Latin, taenia = stripe + Greek, kara = face', and the species honours Edward Candidus, 'an American aquarist'. It was once traded as Apistogramma weisei, and Seriously Fish notes the genus 'is still under consideration' and may end up back inside Apistogramma; the fish itself is slimmer and more torpedo-shaped than any Apistogramma, with a black stripe running from the eye to the tail. Size is reported inconsistently and we gate on the largest credible figure: Seriously Fish gives males 2.5 in and females 2 in, Aquadiction 7 cm, and a keeper's breeding account on AquaInfo says 'According to my research the males will top out at 7 cm' - his reading of the literature rather than a fish he measured, since the pair he bought were about 5 cm and 3 cm - while FishBase's size field says only 3.3 cm SL for a male. So 7 cm it is, and the disagreement is why this file is marked medium confidence.
Care
One male, two or three females, in a mature tank of about 75 L over a 60 cm base - Seriously Fish's own figure is smaller at 45 x 37.5 cm and 53 litres, but the extra floor gives the females somewhere to be, and the same profile is clear that a second male needs 120 cm or he will be killed. The water is the whole job: osmosis water at pH around 5, hardness at or near zero, 27-29 °C, filtered gently through a sponge, darkened with leaf litter, alder cones or peat and lit dimly through floating plants. Plant it densely - Seriously Fish asks for 'a densely planted tank with plenty of hiding places' - and add caves in the form of clay pots, coconut shells or wood. Change water little and often, matched to the tank for temperature, pH and hardness, because this fish sulks for a day after a careless change. Keep a lid on it: the species is a jumper. Feed live and frozen foods and do not count on dry. Tankmates should be small, peaceful and swim above it: pencilfish, hatchetfish, small rasboras and tetras. Not a first dwarf cichlid, and not a fish to buy on the day the shop happens to have it.
Diet
Carnivorous micropredator. Live and frozen small foods - newly hatched brine shrimp, Artemia, Daphnia, white mosquito larvae, bloodworm, whiteworm - fed in small portions. Dried food may be refused outright, so have a live culture running before the fish arrives.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (47)
Possible with care (301)
Avoid (70)
Computed by the AquaSage engine for a spacious reference tank — always check the full verdict for your exact setup in the calculator.
Telling males from females
What works for this species, most reliable first.
- Extended finsStrong · from about 8 months, and later in a suppressed male
On many cichlids and killifish the male's dorsal and anal fins draw out into trailing points as he matures, while the female's stay rounded.
- VentingA hint only · only on a mature fish, easiest when she is in breeding condition
The method breeders use when the answer has to be right. Hold the fish upside down in a wet hand or soft net and look at the two openings ahead of the anal fin. The forward one is the anus; the one behind it is what you are reading.
- Adult sizeA hint only · only across animals of the same age
In many cichlids, catfish and loaches one sex simply grows larger — usually the male, though there are well-known reversals.
Also in these lists
Similar species
Same category and the closest water parameters — if this species isn't quite it, start here.
Sold in Lithuania
These Lithuanian shops listed this species in their public catalogue (checked August 8, 2026). Stock moves — ask before you travel.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Black Stripe Dwarf Cichlid need?
- A Black Stripe Dwarf Cichlid needs an aquarium of at least 75 litres (19.8 US gallons) with a footprint at least 60 cm (23.6 in) long — for this species, swimming length matters as much as raw volume.
- What water parameters does a Black Stripe Dwarf Cichlid need?
- Black Stripe Dwarf Cichlid does best at 25–30 °C (77–86 °F), pH 4.5–6 and a general hardness of 0–5 °dGH.
- Is the Black Stripe Dwarf Cichlid suitable for beginners?
- Black Stripe Dwarf Cichlid is a demanding species best attempted with some experience — it needs stable, closely watched conditions to thrive.