Ash Lipped Apisto (Apistogramma cinilabra)
A rare Peruvian dwarf cichlid with vivid red pectoral bases and ghostly grey lips that glow during courtship — a true specialist's gem.
Will it live with a Ash Lipped Apisto?
We compare each fish against your ash lipped apisto on temperament, size, water parameters and swimming zone. Set your tank size and filter the results.
- Adolf's Cory✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5.5 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–26 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Adolf's Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Agassiz's Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Agassiz's Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bamboo Shrimp✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Black Kuhli Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Easy care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Blood Red Tiger Pleco✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–29 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Bolivian Ram✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Butterfly Hillstream Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 18–24 °C (64–75 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–24 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Corydoras Catfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Corydoras Catfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Duplicareus Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5.5 cm · Medium care · 23–27 °C (73–81 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–27 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Duplicareus Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Dwarf Chain Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–29 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Dwarf Chain Loach in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Elegant Cory✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Elegant Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- False Julii Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep False Julii Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- German Blue Ram✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 27–30 °C (81–86 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Glass Catfish✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–28 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Keep Glass Catfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Gold Barb✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7.5 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Gold Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Hillstream Loach✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Hard care · 20–24 °C (68–75 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–24 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Narcissus II Cory✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 5.5 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Narcissus II Cory in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Peppered Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Peppered Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Rio Negro Checkerboard Cichlid✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Hard care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Compatible on the things that matter: shared water near 24–29 °C, workable temperaments, and no predator-and-prey size gap.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Slate Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Slate Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Splashing Tetra✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 8 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Keep Splashing Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotfin Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here, and their water overlaps around 24–26 °C — no size, zone or temperament conflicts.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotfin Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Spotted Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Spotted Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Sterbai Corydoras✅ CompatiblePeaceful · 6.5 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Semi-aggressive + Peaceful, but with no direct clash here; temperature, pH and hardness ranges all overlap and neither outsizes the other enough to be a threat.
- Both favour the bottom of the tank — offer enough cover so they aren't always in each other's space.
- Keep Sterbai Corydoras in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Banded Dwarf Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Betta⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 6.5 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Bleeding Heart Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 23–28 °C (73–82 °F)
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Keep Bleeding Heart Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Bright Diamond Tetra⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 7 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Ash Lipped Apisto and Bright Diamond Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add bright diamond tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Bright Diamond Tetra in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Buenos Aires Tetra⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Easy care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Keep Buenos Aires Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Celebes Rainbowfish⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 7 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Water hardness preferences differ (Ash Lipped Apisto 1–8 vs Celebes Rainbowfish 10–20 dGH).
- Ash Lipped Apisto is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Celebes Rainbowfish — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Keep Celebes Rainbowfish in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Costa's Tetra⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Ash Lipped Apisto and Costa's Tetra are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add costa's tetra in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Costa's Tetra in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Croaking Gourami⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Ash Lipped Apisto is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Croaking Gourami — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Hongsloi Dwarf Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- Ash Lipped Apisto and Hongsloi Dwarf Cichlid can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Melon Barb⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Ash Lipped Apisto and Melon Barb are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add melon barb in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Melon Barb in a shoal of 8+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Peacock Gudgeon⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 7 cm · Medium care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Ash Lipped Apisto is semi-aggressive and may chase or nip the smaller Peacock Gudgeon — plant heavily and break up sight lines.
- Rounded Filament Barb⚠️ With cautionPeaceful · 7 cm · Medium care · 22–27 °C (72–81 °F)
- Ash Lipped Apisto and Rounded Filament Barb are close in size, but the semi-aggressive one tends to dominate — add rounded filament barb in a group to spread the pressure.
- Keep Rounded Filament Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Roundtail Paradise Fish⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Easy care · 10–26 °C (50–79 °F)
- Ash Lipped Apisto and Roundtail Paradise Fish can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Sumo Loach⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 22–26 °C (72–79 °F)
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Tiger Barb⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Easy care · 22–28 °C (72–82 °F)
- Ash Lipped Apisto and Tiger Barb can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Your 80 L tank is below the ~95 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Keep Tiger Barb in a shoal of 6+ or it gets stressed and nippy.
- Umbrella Dwarf Cichlid⚠️ With cautionSemi-aggressive · 7 cm · Medium care · 20–26 °C (68–79 °F)
- Both are a bit pushy (semi-aggressive + semi-aggressive) — workable only in a larger tank with cover and broken sight lines.
- Alligator Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 250 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Ash Lipped Apisto and Alligator Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Ash Lipped Apisto is bite-sized to a 250 cm predatory alligator gar — it will be eaten.
- Your 80 L tank is below the ~3785 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Clown Knifefish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Ash Lipped Apisto and Clown Knifefish will hold territory and clash.
- Clown Knifefish (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 7 cm Ash Lipped Apisto whole.
- Your 80 L tank is below the ~750 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Fire Eel⛔ Not recommendedSemi-aggressive · 100 cm · Medium care · 24–28 °C (75–82 °F)
- Ash Lipped Apisto is bite-sized to a 100 cm predatory fire eel — it will be eaten.
- Ash Lipped Apisto and Fire Eel can both be territorial; doable with space and dense planting, but watch for chasing.
- Your 80 L tank is below the ~380 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Koi⛔ Not recommendedPeaceful · 90 cm · Medium care · 4–28 °C (39–82 °F)
- Size gap is too large (90 vs 7 cm): Koi will treat Ash Lipped Apisto as food.
- One likes softer water and the other harder (1–8 vs 9–18 dGH) — a compromise, not a perfect match.
- Your 80 L tank is below the ~3800 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Redtail Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 120 cm · Hard care · 24–27 °C (75–81 °F)
- Ash Lipped Apisto and Redtail Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Ash Lipped Apisto is bite-sized to a 120 cm predatory redtail catfish — it will be eaten.
- Your 80 L tank is below the ~5700 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Spotted Gar⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 90 cm · Hard care · 18–26 °C (64–79 °F)
- Ash Lipped Apisto and Spotted Gar are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Spotted Gar (90 cm) is big enough to swallow the 7 cm Ash Lipped Apisto whole.
- Your 80 L tank is below the ~600 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Wels Catfish⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 300 cm · Hard care · 15–25 °C (59–77 °F)
- Ash Lipped Apisto and Wels Catfish are both territorial and at least one is outright aggressive — expect serious fighting.
- Wels Catfish (300 cm) is big enough to swallow the 7 cm Ash Lipped Apisto whole.
- Your 80 L tank is below the ~20000 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
- Wolf Cichlid⛔ Not recommendedAggressive · 72 cm · Hard care · 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Two assertive fish, one genuinely aggressive: Ash Lipped Apisto and Wolf Cichlid will hold territory and clash.
- Wolf Cichlid (72 cm) is big enough to swallow the 7 cm Ash Lipped Apisto whole.
- Your 80 L tank is below the ~760 L this pairing really wants — crowding raises aggression.
Compatibility is computed from each species' care data — a strong starting point, not a guarantee. Individual temperament varies, so always introduce new fish slowly and watch them.
Ash Lipped Apisto care specs
- Care level
- Hard
- Breeding
- Hard
- Max size
- 7 cm (2.8 in)
- Min tank size
- 80 L (21.1 gal)
- Temperature
- 24–29 °C (75–84 °F)
- pH
- 5.5–7
- Hardness
- 1–8 dGH
- Lifespan
- 3–5 years
- Diet
- Carnivore
- Swim level
- Bottom
- Group size
- 2+ (shoaling)
- Family
- Cichlidae
- Origin
- Peru — Rio Itaya catchment (Departamento Loreto), upper Amazon basin
What is an Ash Lipped Apisto?
The Ash Lipped Apisto (Apistogramma cinilabra) is a rare, formally described dwarf cichlid from a small blackwater forest lake in the Rio Itaya drainage of Departamento Loreto, Peru. Catalogued as A80 in the Apistogramma numbering system and formally described in 2013, it belongs to the eunotus species complex within the broader regani lineage. Its extremely limited natural range makes it potentially endangered in the wild, and virtually all specimens in the hobby come from specialist breeders rather than wild-caught collection.
Males reach up to 7 cm (2.75 in) and are unmistakable: a deep golden-yellow body, a bright red flush at the pectoral-fin base, scattered red chest spots, and — most distinctively — ash-grey lips that turn conspicuously pale during courtship and territorial confrontations. The tail extends into lyre-shaped points in mature males, adding to the visual drama. Females are noticeably smaller and more subdued, though they develop a bold dark lateral stripe when brooding. This is not a beginner’s fish; it rewards the soft-water specialist prepared to meet its exacting chemistry and behavioural needs.
Where does the Ash Lipped Apisto come from?
Apistogramma cinilabra is known from a single blackwater lake system within the Rio Itaya catchment in Loreto, Peru — a remote corner of the upper Amazon basin. The water in these habitats is extremely soft and acidic, stained brown with tannins from decomposing leaf litter, and almost devoid of dissolved minerals. Temperatures in the shallow forest-fringe areas it occupies fluctuate between roughly 24 and 29 °C (75–84 °F) across seasons.
The substrate is typically fine sand overlaid with deep accumulations of fallen leaves, and the fish shelter among submerged roots, driftwood, and the caves formed by decaying organic matter. Understanding this origin — still, tannin-rich, mineral-poor, warm, leaf-littered — is the key to replicating conditions that keep this species healthy and willing to breed.
What size tank does an Ash Lipped Apisto need?
The practical minimum is 80 litres (21 gallons), and a longer footprint takes clear priority over depth. A 80–100 L tank with a base of around 80 × 40 cm gives a pair or a single-male harem (one male, two females) enough horizontal territory to establish separate zones and reduce constant conflict.
Choose a tank that is longer rather than taller — this is a bottom-dwelling species that patrols and defends a two-dimensional floor territory rather than using the full water column. Fine sand substrate is essential both for comfort and for the natural sand-sifting behaviour the fish uses while foraging. Keep filtration gentle: a small sponge filter or a canister dialled down to a slow turnover mimics the near-still water of its native lake. Strong flow stresses these fish and disrupts fry once breeding begins.
What water parameters does an Ash Lipped Apisto need?
- Temperature: 24–29 °C (75–84 °F) — a reliable heater is non-negotiable.
- pH: 5.5–7.0; the sweet spot for breeding is typically 5.5–6.5.
- Hardness: 1–8 dGH — genuinely soft water is required.
Most tap water is far too hard and alkaline. The standard approach is to blend reverse-osmosis (RO) water with a small proportion of tap or to use straight RO re-mineralised only lightly. Indian almond leaves, alder cones, and peat filtration all contribute tannins, lower pH gently, and produce the amber colouration that reduces stress and appears to trigger breeding readiness. Test water frequently when dialling in a new tank — stability within the target window matters as much as hitting the exact numbers.
What do Ash Lipped Apistos eat?
The Ash Lipped Apisto is a carnivore in the wild, feeding on micro-invertebrates, small insect larvae, and crustaceans it picks from the substrate and leaf litter. In the aquarium, a varied protein-rich diet produces the best colour, condition, and breeding readiness.
- Staple: high-quality small cichlid or dwarf-cichlid pellets, sinking micro-pellets.
- Live and frozen foods: bloodworm, white mosquito larvae, Artemia (brine shrimp), Daphnia, and micro-worms are all accepted eagerly and should be rotated regularly.
- Feeding frequency: two small feeds per day; a feed-free day once a week helps prevent digestive issues and keeps water quality stable.
Feeding at the substrate level rather than the surface suits this bottom-dwelling species well — use sinking foods and ensure any tankmates don’t outcompete them at the surface before food reaches the bottom.
What is the temperament of the Ash Lipped Apisto, and who can it live with?
This species is semi-aggressive, and that label is meaningful. Intra-species aggression — particularly male-to-male conflict — can be intense, and two males in the same tank without substantial space and visual breaks will fight seriously. The minimum group of two should always mean one male paired with one or two females; keeping multiple males requires a significantly larger tank with carefully arranged hardscape barriers.
Despite that intra-species tension, A. cinilabra can coexist peacefully with other small, calm fish that occupy the upper water column and share its soft-water requirements. Suitable companions include small characins (pencilfish, Nannostomus species, small tetras), Corydoras species adapted to soft water, or similarly sized dwarf cichlids that don’t overlap territory. Avoid any fish large enough to threaten the apistos, and avoid boisterous species that will stress them. Snails and shrimp are generally at risk around a breeding pair.
For a full compatibility reference, see Ash Lipped Apisto tank mates.
How do you tell male and female Ash Lipped Apistos apart?
Sexual dimorphism in this species is pronounced and makes sexing straightforward once both sexes are familiar.
Males grow larger — up to 7 cm (2.75 in) — and develop the characteristic lyre-tail extensions in the upper and lower rays of the caudal fin. Their body colouration is bolder: the yellow is deeper, the red at the pectoral-fin base is more saturated, and the ash-grey lips become dramatically pale and visible during threat displays and courtship. Dorsal and caudal fin tips often show additional colour patterning.
Females remain noticeably smaller, lack the lyre-tail extensions, and are generally more muted in colour outside of a brooding context. When guarding eggs or fry, females undergo a striking transformation: the body yellows intensely and a bold dark lateral stripe appears along the flank, a reliable signal that a spawn is in progress nearby.
How do Ash Lipped Apistos breed?
Breeding A. cinilabra is rated hard and is best approached as a deliberate project rather than an incidental bonus. The prerequisites are correct water chemistry (pH 5.5–6.5, hardness well under 8 dGH), an established pair or harem, and suitable cave spawning sites — small coconut huts, half-coconut shells, ceramic caves, or dense Java moss clumps all work.
Courtship involves extended lateral displays by the male, during which the ash-grey lips and red chest colouration are shown at their most intense. Once the female accepts, she leads the male into the chosen cave. Eggs are deposited on the cave ceiling or walls and fertilised; clutch sizes are typically modest for the genus.
From this point the female takes near-complete control. She guards and fans the eggs aggressively, chasing off the male if the tank is not large enough. Eggs hatch in two to three days at 27 °C (81 °F), and the fry become free-swimming after a further four to five days. First foods for fry are infusoria or commercial fry powder, graduating to baby brine shrimp nauplii within a week. Regular small water changes with matched chemistry are essential throughout the fry-rearing period.
What diseases are common in Ash Lipped Apistos?
The species carries no unique susceptibilities, but like all soft-water dwarf cichlids it is disproportionately affected by poor water quality because the parameter window it requires leaves little chemical buffer.
- Ich (white spot): classic cold or stress trigger; fine salt-tolerant white spots across fins and body.
- Hole-in-the-head (HITH): small pitted lesions on the head and lateral line; linked to chronically poor water quality and dietary monotony.
- Bacterial infections / fin rot: ragged or receding fins, almost always traceable to water quality issues or physical injury from conspecific aggression.
- Internal parasites: wild-caught specimens are at higher risk; quarantine all new fish for at least three to four weeks before introduction.
Prevention follows a consistent formula: cycled, stable, correctly parametered water; weekly partial water changes of 20–30% (matched in temperature and chemistry); a varied diet; and a quarantine tank for all new arrivals.
Health note: medication dosing and definitive disease diagnosis are beyond the scope of a care profile. For a fish showing symptoms, cross-reference a reputable veterinary or fish-health source before treating — incorrect medication can crash the biological filter in a soft, low-pH tank far faster than in a harder setup.
How long do Ash Lipped Apistos live?
A well-kept Apistogramma cinilabra lives 3–5 years. As with most dwarf cichlids, lifespan is strongly correlated with water quality: fish kept at the edges of their parameters, or in tanks that cycle frequently between acceptable and poor conditions, age faster and show it. Breeder-sourced fish obtained young in good condition, kept in a correctly set-up soft-water aquarium with regular maintenance and a varied diet, should comfortably reach the upper end of that range.
Frequently asked questions
What makes Apistogramma cinilabra different from other apistos?
Its ash-grey lips — which turn pale and striking during aggression and courtship displays — combined with a vivid red pectoral-fin base and red chest spots set it apart from all other Apistogramma species. It also has an unusually deep body and a very short caudal peduncle for the genus.
How soft does the water need to be for Ash Lipped Apisto?
Aim for pH 5.5–7.0 and hardness under 8 dGH, mimicking the blackwater forest lake it comes from. Hard, alkaline tap water should be RO-blended before use; keeping this species in the wrong chemistry leads to chronic stress and poor breeding results.
What you need to keep a ash lipped apisto
The baseline is a heated, filtered 80 L+ tank: a reliable heater to hold 24–29 °C (75–84 °F), a gentle filter that won't batter a ash lipped apisto in the current, and a tight-fitting lid. Cycle the tank fully before adding any fish.
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