Home / Fishes / Cichlids / Cichlidae / Nijssen's Dwarf Cichlid

No federal permit to keep

Nijssen's Dwarf Cichlid

Apistogramma nijsseni

Also known as Panda Dwarf Cichlid

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Apistogramma nijsseni, the panda dwarf cichlid, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cichlidae, the cichlids.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Easy

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 1.5 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 1.5 in / 3.9 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 73–86°F (range recorded for this species).
pH: 5–5.6.
Hardness: 0–5 dGH.
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Tank: a base of at least 24 × 12 in (roughly 14 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
Water: soft, acidic water, 75–82 °F, pH 5–6.5, 0–4 dGH.
Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Provided adequate cover and structure is available this species is unfussy with regards to décor with ceramic flowerpots, lengths of plastic piping and other artificial materials all useful additions.”
Diet: “Primarily carnivorous and apparently feeds mostly on benthic invertebrates in nature.”
Tankmates: “Captive-raised fish are the recommended choice for the community aquarium.”
Breeding: “Substrate spawner which normally lays its eggs in crevices or cavities among the décor.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

South American dwarf cichlids

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Soft, acidic, leaf-littered streams. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Use species-specific water chemistry and tank base dimensions: M. ramirezi has a source minimum base of 60 × 30 cm; M. altispinosus has 90 × 45 cm. Provide fine sand for these substrate-sifting species.
Very sensitive to nitrate and water swings; mature, stable tanks are best.

Sources 117 119 164 257 258

Climate & lighting

Starting point only: Replace the merged genus range with separately sourced species water temperatures. Check the species-specific values for this animal where shown.

Water

76–84°F

Sources 117 119 164 257 258

Diet

Small live and frozen foods (bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia) plus quality micro pellets.

Sources 117 119 164 257 258

Social life

Harems or pairs; peaceful with small dither fish.

Sources 117 119 164 257 258

Health watch

Use mature, stable aquaria. Warm-water M. ramirezi has a source maintenance range of 27–30 °C (81–86 °F), whereas M. altispinosus has 24–28 °C (75–82 °F).

Sources 117 119 164 257 258

Understanding the animal

About this animal

This fish is endemic to Peru, where it is known only from its type locality.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Apistogramma nijsseni” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water. In black-water creeks among vegetation.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 73–86 °F (23–30 °C), pH 5–5.6, hardness 5 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: nesters, biparental parental care.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 73–86 °F.
Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.

FishBase species summary: Apistogramma nijsseni

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 89°F (up to 90°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 68°F (down to 68°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	79–80°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	84–84% on average (driest month about 82%)
Rainfall	about 2602 mm a year, spread fairly evenly

Measured at 5 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	Apistogramma nijsseni, the panda dwarf cichlid, is a species of freshwater ray-finned fish belonging to the family Cichlidae, the cichlids. This fish is endemic to Peru, where it is known only from its type locality. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Reproduction	Female guards eggs in nest; male and female guard larvae. — FishBase
Appearance and size	Apistogramma nijsseni is a member of the A. nijsseni species group. This group comprises relatively large species of dwarf cichlid. They have moderately deep, robust and laterally compressed bodies. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Biology	In black-water creeks among vegetation. Female guards eggs in nest; male and female guard larvae. — FishBase
History and naming	Apistogramma nijsseni was first formally described in 1979 by the Swedish ichthyologist Sven O. Kullander, with its type locality given as the Río Copal at Jenaro Herrera in the Río Ucayali system, Loreto, Peru. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Conservation	Apistogramma nijsseni is classified as Data Deficient by the International Union for Conservation of Nature because it has only been recorded from the type locality and there is an absence of data on its population size and trends. However, this species is found in the aquarium trade. — Wikipedia (community-edited)

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Reported1.5in

FishBase 1641.5

Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources74–84°F

FishBase 16473–86

Seriously Fish species profiles 16775–82

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Average of sources5–6

FishBase 1645–5.6

Seriously Fish species profiles 1675–6.5

Water hardness

Reported0–4dGH

Seriously Fish species profiles 1670–4

Minimum tank footprint

Reported24in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16724

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 24 × 12 in (about 14 US gallons).

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial; AquariumFishII=based mainly on breeding)

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Seriously Fish — Mikrogeophagus ramirezi Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Seriously Fish — Mikrogeophagus altispinosus Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.