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Passport
- Family
- Sth American Cichlids - dwarf
- Grows to
- 7.5 cm (3")
- Lives
- 8–10 years
- Temperament
- Peaceful
- Care
- Beginner
- Swims
- Mid-water
- Keep
- In a group of 2 or more
- Water
- 21–28 °C (70–82 °F)
GuyanaSurinameVenezuela
Care requirements
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On record for Keyhole Cichlid: adult size, lifespan, minimum tank, temperature, ph, hardness, minimum group, diet, care level, swim level, tank length.
A figure that is not on record is left out rather than guessed. One marked Suggested comes from keeping knowledge rather than a page.
- Minimum tank 114 L / 30.0 US gal
- pH 4–7.5
- Hardness 2–15 dGH
- Diet omnivore
- Tank length 90 cm minimum
Care notes written from general aquarium knowledge, not from the cited sources.
About
Keyhole cichlids are the shyest cichlid in the hobby and the most peaceful by a comfortable margin. Where the family's reputation is territorial aggression, a keyhole's response to almost anything is to back away.
The name comes from the dark mark on the flank, which in a settled adult really does look like an old keyhole. They can switch it on and off, along with the rest of their patterning, and a startled keyhole goes blotchy within seconds.
That colour change is the most useful thing about them. It's an honest, instant readout of how the fish feels, and it tells you when a tank mate is causing more stress than you thought.
Tank setup
Give your keyholes cover and quiet. They need somewhere to retreat that they trust, and in a bare or busy tank they simply never come out.
Plant it densely, add wood and leaf litter, and keep the lighting dim. Floating plants help more than almost anything else.
Use sand and leave open foraging ground within reach of the cover.
Choose tank mates carefully. Anything boisterous will suppress them entirely, and unlike most cichlids they will not stand up for themselves. Peaceful tetras and corys are the right company.
Keep the water soft and slightly acidic if you can, though they're tolerant.
Feeding
Keyholes are omnivores that forage over the bottom, sifting sand and picking through leaf litter.
Feed sinking food and give them time. They're slow, cautious feeders and quick tank mates will take everything before they commit.
Frozen and live food — bloodworm, brine shrimp, daphnia — bring the colour up and get them into breeding condition.
Avoid: fast greedy tank mates, which is the commonest reason a keyhole ends up underfed, and avoid floating food as the staple.
Filtration and flow
Gentle flow. They come from slow, shaded, blackwater-influenced streams in the Guianas.
Filter well and keep nitrate low. They're sensitive to it over time as most cichlids are.
Stable conditions matter more than particular values. A tank that holds steady suits them better than one chasing a target.
With plants
Keyhole cichlids are safe with plants — unusually so for a cichlid. They don't dig appreciably and they don't eat greenery.
Plant heavily. This is one of the few cichlids you can put in a properly aquascaped tank without expecting damage, and dense growth is what makes them confident.
Broad flat leaves are useful, because that's where they'll spawn.
Health
They're hardy in a calm tank and decline in a stressful one, and stress is the thing to watch rather than any specific disease.
Read the colour. Persistent blotchy, washed-out patterning means the fish is unhappy — usually about a tank mate, the lighting, or a lack of cover.
They're slow to show hunger, so check body condition rather than assuming they're feeding.
Breeding
Keyholes form strong, long-lasting pairs and are gentle, careful parents — even during spawning they're far less aggressive than any other cichlid you might keep.
They lay on a cleaned flat surface: a broad leaf, a smooth stone, a piece of slate. Both parents guard the eggs and fan them, then move the fry around the tank.
Let a group of juveniles pair naturally. Their mildness means fry rarely survive in a community tank — the parents won't clear enough space to protect them — so a species tank is what you need if you want to raise any.
Tank mates
Avoid8
- Least Killifish Keyhole Cichlid grows to 8 cm against Least Killifish at 2 cm, big enough to eat it.
- Scarlet Badis Keyhole Cichlid grows to 8 cm against Scarlet Badis at 2 cm, big enough to eat it.
- Common Goldfish Common Goldfish is not safe with Keyhole Cichlid: common goldfish and sth american cichlids - dwarf are a bad pairing.
- Demasoni Cichlid Demasoni Cichlid is not safe with Keyhole Cichlid: african cichlids and sth american cichlids - dwarf are a bad pairing.
- Electric Yellow Lab Keyhole Cichlid and Electric Yellow Lab do not mix: african cichlids and sth american cichlids - dwarf are a bad pairing.
Only with care30
- Convict Cichlid Convict Cichlid is noticeably larger than Keyhole Cichlid and may bully it or outcompete it at feeding time.
- Jewel Cichlid Jewel Cichlid is noticeably larger than Keyhole Cichlid and may bully it or outcompete it at feeding time.
- Chinese Algae Eater Chinese Algae Eater is aggressive and Keyhole Cichlid is peaceful.
- Amano Shrimp Keyhole Cichlid is a risk to Amano Shrimp: shrimp and yabbies and sth american cichlids - dwarf are a pairing to watch.
- Bamboo Shrimp Keyhole Cichlid is a risk to Bamboo Shrimp: shrimp and yabbies and sth american cichlids - dwarf are a pairing to watch.
No conflict is recorded with the other 68 species in the database, so nothing to flag. 2 species are not covered at all, so they could not be judged either way.