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Checkerboard cichlid, photographed on a transparent background

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Checkerboard cichlid

Dicrossus filamentosus

It moves quietly along the bottom through the fallen leaf litter.

The Checkerboard cichlid (Dicrossus filamentosus) is a tropical freshwater fish of the family Cichlidae. It swims in midwater, close to the bottom. Adults grow to about 7 cm. In the aquarium it needs a tank at least 60 cm long and water at 25–29 °C.

Size
7 cm
Smallest tank
60 cm
Temperature
25–29 °C
Care
Demanding

In the aquarium

Temperature25–29 °C
pH5.5–7.2
Hardness1–10 °dGH
Temperament
Peaceful
Diet
Omnivore
Activity
Calm
Water layer
Bottom
Group
Lives on its own
Plants
Plant safe
Drawn to scale in a 60 cm tank

These values are compiled from real species data, and the LumaReef simulation is built to keep them true to life.

Which tank it fits

  • Nano60 cm · 65 litres13 of them
  • Standard90 cm · 180 litres36 of them
  • Wide120 cm · 300 litres60 of them
  • Living room180 cm · 650 litres130 of them
  • Showcase250 cm · 1,200 litres240 of them
  • Gallery300 cm · 1,440 litres288 of them

Who it lives with

In the wild

Water type
Freshwater
Climate zone
Tropical
Habitat
Midwater, close to the bottom
Aquarium trade
Traded commercially

Conservation status

Classification

  1. OrderCichliformes
  2. FamilyCichlidae
  3. GenusDicrossus
  4. SpeciesDicrossus filamentosus
  5. Described byLadiges, 1958

In other languages

English
Lyretail Checkerboard Cichlid

Quick answers

Checkerboard cichlid size: how big does it get?
Adults reach about 7 cm. Record sizes among the 189 Cichlidae species on LumaReef: 3 cm (Viejita Dwarf Cichlid) to 80 cm (Giant Tanganyika Cichlid).
Checkerboard cichlid tank size: what is the minimum?
A tank at least 60 cm long. In LumaReef that is the Nano tank or larger.
Checkerboard cichlid water parameters: what does it need?
Temperature 25–29 °C, pH 5.5–7.2, hardness 1–10 °dGH. Close to what most Cichlidae on LumaReef need (23–28 °C).
Checkerboard cichlid tank mates: what can it live with?
It gets along with 52 of the 99 freshwater species in the catalogue, such as Dwarf gourami, Diamond tetra, and Silver hatchetfish.
Checkerboard cichlid: alone or in a group?
It can be kept on its own.
Checkerboard cichlid and plants: is it plant safe?
Yes, it leaves plants alone.

All Cichlidae speciesAll species A–Z

Sources

Checkerboard cichlid: compiled from these references.