Apistogramma borellii (Apistogramma borellii) is a South American dwarf cichlid from the Paraguay River basin and lower Paraná drainage, including parts of Paraguay, southern Brazil, and northern Argentina. In nature, it lives close to the bottom in slow creeks, tributaries, lagoons, and floodplain margins with sand, leaf litter, roots, plants, and shaded cover.

Unlike many warmer-water Apistogramma, borellii comes from more subtropical habitats and is known for handling cooler, seasonally changing conditions. It is a small cave-spawning cichlid with males showing extended fins, blue-yellow coloration, and a calmer temperament than many other Apistogramma species.

This species is usually one of the easier Apistogramma to place in a peaceful community setup, especially with small tetras, pencilfish, peaceful bottom dwellers, and planted-tank layouts with caves or shaded structure. It can still become territorial during breeding, so it should be given defined hiding spaces and should not be crowded with pushy tank mates.

Temperament Modal