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No federal permit to keep

Uaru

Uaru amphiacanthoides

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Uaru amphiacanthoides, the uaru or triangle cichlid, is a species of cichlid native to South America where it occurs in clear streams of the Amazon Basin.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Intermediate

Uaru — Photo: (c) Brent Tibbats, some rights reserved (CC BY), CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

Photo: (c) Brent Tibbats, some rights reserved (CC BY), CC BY 4.0, via iNaturalist

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 10 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 48 in long and 21 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 9.8 in / 25 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 79–82°F (range recorded for this species).
pH: 5–7.
Hardness: 5–12 dGH.
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.
Diet: A predator: feed meaty foods sized to its mouth (frozen fish, shrimp, worms); it will eat tankmates that fit in its mouth. FishBase classes it as a carnivore.

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

Water: soft, acidic water, 81–86 °F, pH 6–7.
Difficulty: Difficult (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “A large roomy aquarium with a sand or gravel substrate and decorated with bogwood and roots is preferred.”
Diet: “Stomach analyses of wild fish have revealed it to be an omnivore existing on a substantial amount of plant matter along with an assortment of invertebrates and even freshwater sponges.”
Tankmates: “Suprisingly peaceful for such a large cichlid.”
Breeding: “Wild caught Uaru will require water paramaters that mirror their natural habitat(very soft and acidic ).”

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

Group care guide

Central and South American cichlids

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Rivers and lakes of the Americas. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Size ranges widely, from convicts at 5 in to Parachromis over 20 in; plan tank size for the adult fish.
Most tolerate neutral, moderately hard water; strong filtration and rock or wood caves.

Sources 117 119 164

Climate & lighting

Water

75–82°F

Sources 117 119 164

Diet

Omnivorous cichlid pellets plus vegetables for herbivores (Vieja, Uaru) and meaty foods for predators (Parachromis).

Sources 117 119 164

Social life

Territorial; breeding pairs can clear a whole tank.

Sources 117 119 164

Health watch

Aggression and territorial injuries, especially when breeding; hole-in-the-head in poor water.

Sources 117 119 164

Understanding the animal

About this animal

This species can reach a length of 25 centimetres (9.8 in) SL. It is also of importance as a food fish for native peoples and can be found in the aquarium trade.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Uaru amphiacanthoides” (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. Occurs in clear streams with a pH of 6.8.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 79–82 °F (26–28 °C), pH 5–7, hardness 5–12 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Wild diet	Hunting macrofauna (predator).
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: clutch tenders.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 79–82 °F.

FishBase species summary: Uaru amphiacanthoides

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 90°F (up to 92°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 71°F (down to 69°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	79–81°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	82–85% on average (driest month about 80%)
Rainfall	about 2366 mm a year

Measured at 62 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	Uaru amphiacanthoides, the uaru or triangle cichlid, is a species of cichlid native to South America where it occurs in clear streams of the Amazon Basin. This species can reach a length of 25 cm SL. It is also of importance as a food fish for native peoples and can be found in the aquarium trade. — 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	Parents care for (up to 200) eggs and larvae. — FishBase
Biology	Occurs in clear streams with a pH of 6.8. Feeds on worms, crustaceans and insects, but needs plants as supplement. — FishBase

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

Average of sources9.9in

FishBase 1649.8

Seriously Fish species profiles 16710

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 sources80–84°F

FishBase 16479–82

Seriously Fish species profiles 16781–86

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

pH

Average of sources5.5–7

FishBase 1645–7

Seriously Fish species profiles 1676–7

Water hardness

Reported5–12dGH

FishBase 1645–12

Veterinary & husbandry research

Capillaria pterophylli Heinze, 1933 (Nematoda: Capillariidae Railliet, 1915) in imported ornamental Cichlidae from Asia into South Africa: the first molecular data and scanning electron microscopy Molokomme PS et al., International journal for parasitology. Parasites and wildlife 2025

Peer-reviewed papers that mention this species alongside captivity, zoos, veterinary care or aquaculture. Some cover several species or mention it only in passing, so check the abstract. 170

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; aquarium reproduction record)
32 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

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.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) Peer-reviewed researchIndex of peer-reviewed veterinary, zoo and husbandry research.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.