Uapesi Dwarf Cichlid urubaxi (Apistogramma uapesi urubaxi) - Cichlid Fish for Sale UK

How much character can one cave-loving fish hold? Apistogramma uapesi urubaxi makes a persuasive case. The urubaxi form of the Uapesi Dwarf Cichlid grows to around 7.5 cm — the larger end of the apisto scale — and brings genuine presence to the lower third of a soft, acidic aquarium.

Its wishlist reads like a blackwater biotope brief: 23–29 °C, pH 4.0–6.0, hardness no higher than 15 dGH, and at least 75 litres of well-structured space. Structure is the operative word. This is a cave-orientated, semi-aggressive cichlid, and it needs hiding places that are unambiguously its own. Get that right and a surprisingly varied community becomes possible in a larger tank: small peaceful schooling fish, non-aggressive pencilfish, small tetras and rasboras, plus peaceful bottom-dwellers that will not contest its caves. Other peaceful dwarf cichlids can work too, but only where there is ample territory to divide. Strike from the list anything fin-nipping, large and aggressive, very active and boisterous, or overly territorial on the bottom — and any fish needing hard, alkaline water, which this tank simply cannot offer.

It feeds as a carnivore and, like most of its genus, sharpens its territorial instincts once a pair begins to spawn. Give some thought to feeding position too: a bottom-dweller takes its meals from the lowest level, so make sure food actually reaches the substrate instead of being intercepted above. And remember the 75-litre figure is exactly that — a minimum; the compatibility options above broaden considerably as the footprint grows, which is why larger, well-structured tanks are where this fish shows best. Under moderate care, expect something close to five years together.

Apistogramma uapesi urubaxi care summary

• Adult size: around 7.5 cm
• Care: moderate
• Behaviour: semi-aggressive, territorial around spawning
• Conditions: 23–29 °C, pH 4.0–6.0, hardness up to 15 dGH
• Aquarium: 75 litres upwards
• Feeds as: carnivore
• Position: bottom-dweller
• Expected lifespan: about 5 years

Planning your purchase

Treat the urubaxi as the centrepiece of a soft-water tank rather than an add-on to an existing community, and design its caves before it arrives. Order once your parameters are stable — your fish ships under a live arrival guarantee via a licensed live-animal courier.