Home / Fishes / Cichlids / Cichlidae / MacMaster's dwarf cichlid

No federal permit to keep

MacMaster's dwarf cichlid

Apistogramma macmasteri

Also known as Red Mask Apisto, Red-tailed Dwarf Cichlid

Fishes › Cichlids (Cichliformes) › Cichlidae (Cichlids)

Apistogramma macmasteri is a dwarf cichlid in the tribe Geophagini, one of the tribes of the subfamily of American cichlids, the Cichlinae.

Aquarium hobby

Experience: Easy

FamilyCichlids

Adult lengthup to 2.2 in

WaterFreshwater

Care at a glance

Species-specific aquarium care

Tank: At least 24 in long and 12 in front to back for one adult (adults commonly reach about 2.2 in / 5.5 cm).
Water: Freshwater.
Temperature: 73–86°F (range recorded for this species).
pH: 6–6.5.
Hardness: 2–4 dGH.
Layout: Uses both the bottom and open water: give open swimming space plus cover near the substrate.

Calculated from this species' own FishBase record: tank size from its typical adult length and swimming zone, water values from its recorded ranges. The group guide below fills in general care.

Care guide

Species care notes

Tank: a base of at least 18 × 12 in (roughly 11 US gallons); space needed is rated “modest tank”.
Water: soft, acidic water, 75–82 °F, pH 5.5–7, 0–5 dGH.
Behaviour: in a pair.
Difficulty: Moderate (Seriously Fish rating).

Short excerpts from the species profile:

Setup: “Provided adequate cover and structure is available this species is unfussy with regards to décor with ceramic flowerpots, lengths of plastic piping and other artificial materials all useful additions.”
Diet: “Primarily carnivorous and apparently feeds mostly on benthic invertebrates in nature.”
Tankmates: “Captive-raised fish are the recommended choice for the community aquarium.”
Breeding: “Substrate spawner which normally lays its eggs in crevices or cavities among the décor.”

From the Seriously Fish profile for this species, which has the full habitat, maintenance, diet, behaviour and breeding write-up 167

Group care guide

South American dwarf cichlids

Applies to most species in this group. Habitat: Soft, acidic, leaf-littered streams. Individual species can differ, so compare with the species numbers above and the linked sources.

Housing & setup

Use species-specific water chemistry and tank base dimensions: M. ramirezi has a source minimum base of 60 × 30 cm; M. altispinosus has 90 × 45 cm. Provide fine sand for these substrate-sifting species.
Very sensitive to nitrate and water swings; mature, stable tanks are best.

Sources 117 119 164 257 258

Climate & lighting

Starting point only: Replace the merged genus range with separately sourced species water temperatures. Check the species-specific values for this animal where shown.

Water

76–84°F

Sources 117 119 164 257 258

Diet

Small live and frozen foods (bloodworms, brine shrimp, daphnia) plus quality micro pellets.

Sources 117 119 164 257 258

Social life

Harems or pairs; peaceful with small dither fish.

Sources 117 119 164 257 258

Health watch

Use mature, stable aquaria. Warm-water M. ramirezi has a source maintenance range of 27–30 °C (81–86 °F), whereas M. altispinosus has 24–28 °C (75–82 °F).

Sources 117 119 164 257 258

Understanding the animal

About this animal

It is a freshwater fish that lives in the rivers Guaytiquía and Metica in the Meta River system. The Meta river system is a part of the Orinoco basin in Colombia.

Quoted from the Wikipedia article “Apistogramma macmasteri” (CC BY-SA 4.0) 174

In the wild

From this species’ own FishBase record (habitat, bottom type, water and breeding data), not its family. Good care copies these conditions.¹

Where it lives	Lives in freshwater. Uses both the bottom and open water.
Water it lives in	Freshwater, 73–86 °F (23–30 °C), pH 6–6.5, hardness 2–4 dH.
Climate	Tropical climate.
Behavior to plan for	Breeding: clutch tenders, maternal parental care.

What this means for care

Keep water within its wild range, 73–86 °F.
Parents guard eggs or young, so expect territorial behavior when breeding.

FishBase species summary: Apistogramma macmasteri

Native climate (measured)

Warm-season highs	about 93°F (up to 95°F in the hottest sampled areas)
Cool-season lows	about 70°F (down to 66°F in the coldest sampled areas)
Average temperature	77–81°F across sampled records
Relative humidity	76–77% on average (driest month about 64%)
Rainfall	about 2651 mm a year

Measured at 111 wild occurrence records sampled against WorldClim 2.1 climate data (1970–2000 averages). Air conditions in the range are ecological context, not enclosure settings: microhabitats such as burrows, leaf litter or basking rocks can be cooler, warmer or more humid.

From the sources

Quoted from the matching sections of reputable sources for this exact species. Specialist databases are used first; Wikipedia (community-edited, CC BY-SA 4.0) only fills gaps. Other sources are short credited quotes.

Overview	Apistogramma macmasteri is a dwarf cichlid in the tribe Geophagini, one of the tribes of the subfamily of American cichlids, the Cichlinae. It is a freshwater fish that lives in the rivers Guaytiquía and Metica in the Meta River system. The Meta river system is a part of the Orinoco basin in Colombia. They live in areas with soft sandy bottom and plenty of dead roots and branches in the water. — Wikipedia (community-edited)
Where it lives	Home ranges Population dynamics Growth parameters Max. ages / sizes Length-weight rel. Length-frequencies Mass conversion Recruitment Abundance Life cycle Reproduction Maturity Maturity/Gills rel. — FishBase
Reproduction	The eggs are attached to the ceiling of caves, female cares for eggs and larvae. Like other Apistogramma, this species may participate in harem spawning where the male services more than one female in his secret spawning site which may either be a cave or thick vegetation. — FishBase
Biology	Maximum length is 7.0 cm TL. Aquarium keeping: several females for one male; minimum aquarium size 60 cm. The eggs are attached to the ceiling of caves, female cares for eggs and larvae. — FishBase

Data and studies

The numbers

Each bar is what one source reports. Where several sources weigh in, the dashed gold band marks their average.

Adult length

Reported2.2in

FishBase 1642.2

Maximum recorded length. Measured as standard length (snout to the base of the tail, not counting the tail fin). Fish in home aquariums often stay smaller than wild records.

Water temperature

Average of sources74–84°F

FishBase 16473–86

Seriously Fish species profiles 16775–82

Range the species tolerates in nature; aim for the middle.

pH

Average of sources5.8–6.8

FishBase 1646–6.5

Seriously Fish species profiles 1675.5–7

Water hardness

Average of sources1–4.5dGH

FishBase 1642–4

Seriously Fish species profiles 1670–5

Minimum tank footprint

Reported18in

Seriously Fish species profiles 16718

Seriously Fish recommends a tank base of at least 18 × 12 in (about 11 US gallons).

Federal legal snapshot

No federal permit to keep

No federal law singles out this species for private keepers. State and local rules still apply.

State law decides most of it. Each state sets its own permits and bans for exotic, native, venomous and dangerous animals, and cities and counties can be stricter. Find your state agency →

Not covered by the Animal Welfare Act

The Act only covers warm-blooded animals. Reptiles, amphibians, fish and invertebrates have no federal care standards, even at licensed facilities; state and local rules may still apply.

Kept in captivity?

Every species on this site needs evidence that people actually keep it. For this one:

Has a Seriously Fish aquarium species profile
FishBase records it in the aquarium trade (Aquarium=commercial)
3 iNaturalist observations of captive animals

Sources for this sheet

FishBase (Froese & Pauly, eds.), version 24.07 Peer-reviewed researchThe global scientific database on fishes, maintained by a consortium of research institutions; every value is referenced.
Seriously Fish species profiles Experienced keeper or breederLong-running aquarium reference written and peer-checked by experienced fishkeepers and ichthyologists; each profile covers habitat, tank size, water, diet, behaviour and breeding.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Management of aquarium fish Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Merck Veterinary Manual: Types and features of aquatic systems Zoo, university or veterinaryThe Merck Veterinary Manual: a standard veterinary reference written and reviewed by veterinary specialists.
Seriously Fish — Mikrogeophagus ramirezi Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Seriously Fish — Mikrogeophagus altispinosus Zoo, university or veterinaryAdded in the 2026 source-checked care-guide review.
Wikipedia (species article) Community referenceFree encyclopedia; useful overviews with their own citations. Intro text is quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0.
iNaturalist (captive observations) Community referenceCommunity observation platform run by the California Academy of Sciences and National Geographic; observations marked captive show animals living in homes, zoos and aquariums.