Checkerboard Cichlid
Dicrossus filamentosus
Cichlidae
About
The checkerboard cichlid is a slender, elegant dwarf cichlid from the blackwater tributaries of the Rio Negro and upper Orinoco basins in Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela. Males develop a striking lyre-shaped tail and a double row of dark chequered blotches along the flanks. Genuinely peaceful but shy and quietly territorial only when spawning, it demands warm, very soft, acidic water and reacts badly to poor conditions.
Care
Keep a pair or a one-male harem in warm, very soft, acidic blackwater with dim light, fine sand, leaf litter and driftwood cover. Sensitive to water quality, so a mature tank and frequent gentle water changes are essential.
Diet
Carnivorous micropredator; feed small live and frozen foods like daphnia, cyclops, artemia and micro-bloodworm. Will take fine sinking foods once settled, but live foods condition it best.
Tankmate compatibility
Gets along with (8)
Possible with care (143)
Avoid (120)
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.
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Frequently asked questions
- What tank size does a Checkerboard Cichlid need?
- A Checkerboard 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 Checkerboard Cichlid need?
- Checkerboard Cichlid does best at 24–30 °C (75.2–86 °F), pH 4.5–7 and a general hardness of 0–8 °dGH.
- Is the Checkerboard Cichlid suitable for beginners?
- Checkerboard Cichlid is a demanding species best attempted with some experience — it needs stable, closely watched conditions to thrive.