Blue Cheek Apisto (Apistogramma eunotus)

Remarks: Apistogramma eunotus, also known as the blue cheek apisto, is a small, fairly peaceful, and somewhat hardy species of dwarf cichlid. They rarely exceed 2.5" in length and outside of the expected territorial behavior toward conspecifics, are fairly timid and non-combative for an Apistogramma. Juvenile fish tend to be totally gray or silver with a black spot at the base of the caudal fin and females display the typical yellow bodies with black markings when mature and in breeding dress. Mature and dominant males have very attractive coloration with blue bodies, anal fins, and ventral fins accented by orange or yellow eyes, caudal fins, and dorsal fins. They also have a spot of red at the base of their pectoral fins and metallic blue gill plates which gives them their common name of the blue cheek apisto. Along with this brilliant color, dominant males tend to also have elegant extensions on the back of their dorsal fins and sometimes their anal fins.   While the blue cheek apisto is notably hardy and adaptable for an Apistogramma, they do best in captivity when their natural habitat is mimicked. In the wild, they inhabit small, shallow, soft, acidic, and tannin-stained streams and tributaries of the Rio Ucayali in central Peru all the way down to the Japura drainage in Brazil. These areas have plenty of fallen branches and botanicals littering the substrate of soft sand. Among these, the blue cheek apisto seeks out small caves in which pairs will spawn. Replicating these conditions within the aquarium as well as providing peaceful dither fish such as small pencilfish or tetras, plenty of small live foods, and live plants will encourage this species to spawn. An established pair will work together to guard their eggs and newborn fry until the babies are large enough to fend for themselves.   As they are a more retiring species, it is not recommended to keep the blue cheek apisto with aggressive fish or other species of Apistogramma. Doing such can cause them to hide constantly and possibly will result in injuries or even deaths. While this does limit what species they can be housed with in regards to larger and more robust fish, it does make them a great choice for other smaller, more timid fish such as hatchetfish, pencilfish, smaller rasboras, and smaller tetras. With their small size, vibrant colors, and hardy nature, the blue cheek apisto can be a great addition to smaller, more peaceful community aquariums.