Apistogramma pleurotaenia

By Pet Zone SD Team • October 2026

Overview

Apistogramma pleurotaenia has an odd distinction among the species on this site: it's one of the oldest formally described, yet its documented origin was wrong for well over a century. Charles Tate Regan described it in 1909 — decades before most other species covered here, and only a few years after Regan's own first revision of the genus — under the title "Description of a new cichlid fish of the genus Heterogramma from La Plata," placing its type locality at the Río de la Plata, the estuary separating Argentina and Uruguay. The fish Regan examined, though, were aquarium specimens bred in captivity and shipped to him by German hobbyists, and the locality that traveled with them was simply incorrect — a problem distinct from the trade-name confusion seen elsewhere on this site (compare megastoma's "Kelleri" years or norberti's "großmaul"), since here the formal scientific record itself carried the error, not just a hobby nickname.

Aquarium-trade reference databases now flag that original locality as erroneous, and a 2024 literature review (reported via the German-language aquarium site pecescriollos.de, citing Morgenstern 2024) traces the real source to Belém, Brazil — consistent with the species' documented modern range across the Lower Amazon, Tapajós, and Rio Cupari drainages, thousands of kilometers from Argentina. Taxonomically, Cichlidae.com places the species within the regani species group, one of several recognized complexes inside the genus.

Color & Identification

The species name itself describes a visible trait: pleurotaenia combines Greek roots for "side" and "band" or "ribbon," a naming pattern used across cichlid taxonomy (the Malawi cichlid Protomelas pleurotaenia shares the same root) to describe a lateral stripe running down the body — the same kind of dark longitudinal band found on many Apistogramma, including several already covered on this site. Beyond that, detailed published descriptions of pleurotaenia's color pattern and sexual dimorphism are harder to come by than for more commonly kept species; expect the typical genus pattern of males growing larger with more extended, colorful finnage than females.

Tank Setup

With native-habitat and aquarium-specific husbandry data this thin, we're applying genus-standard practice rather than species-specific research — treat the figures below as a sound starting point, not documented fact for this particular fish.

• Tank size: A 20-gallon long tank suits a pair comfortably, in line with other mid-sized apistos such as agassizii and macmasteri. Go larger for a group or a single-male harem setup.
• Substrate & décor: Fine sand, driftwood, and leaf litter replicate the soft, Amazon-basin blackwater and clearwater habitats typical of the Lower Amazon/Tapajós region this species is now documented from. Dim lighting and dense cover suit the genus generally.
• Filtration & flow: Gentle filtration is standard practice across the genus; see our tank setup guide for cycling and equipment basics before stocking.
• Water building: See our water parameters guide for building and holding soft, slightly acidic water reliably.

Feeding

Aquarium-trade references recommend sinking foods — flakes or granules that reach the bottom third of the tank — as the dietary staple, with live or frozen foods such as bloodworms and brine shrimp used to bring adults into breeding condition. This matches standard practice across the genus; see our general feeding guide for portioning and conditioning diets that apply genus-wide.

Temperament & Compatibility

Available references describe pleurotaenia as peaceful or harmless rather than territorially aggressive, which is a relatively mild temperament by Apistogramma standards. As with every species on this site, avoid housing it with other Apistogramma species, and give males some visual breaks if keeping more than one in a tank this size.

Breeding

Pleurotaenia follows the genus's typical cave-spawning pattern, and aquarium-trade references recommend a harem setup — one male with several females — rather than forcing a single bonded pair. Provide a specific spawning site, such as a small upturned clay pot, and condition the group beforehand on live or frozen foods to encourage pairing. For breeding specifically, aim for a slightly acidic pH of 6.0–6.5 and soft water around 5 dGH. No detailed fry-rearing reports specific to this species are available; follow our general breeding guide for the broader conditioning-to-fry-rearing process, and expect to do some of your own troubleshooting given how little has been published on this species in the hobby.

Sourcing Notes

Despite being in the scientific literature since 1909, pleurotaenia has no established common or trade name in any of the aquarium-specific references checked for this guide (Cichlidae.com, AquaticRepublic, fishfish.fr) — a genuine rarity for a species described this long ago. If you encounter an unnamed "Apistogramma sp." offered informally, don't assume it's pleurotaenia on sight; this genus has a long history of informally-traded forms that later turn out to be entirely separate, still-undescribed species with their own distinct ranges. Ask for the scientific name and, ideally, the collection locality — see our general sourcing guide for more on verifying identification on an uncommon species.

Final Thoughts

Pleurotaenia is a reminder that "formally described" and "well documented" aren't the same thing — this is a fish with a 115-plus-year paper trail that still spent most of that time with the wrong country attached to it, and one that remains genuinely obscure in the modern hobby despite that long scientific history. If you're drawn to the genus's quieter, less-publicized corners rather than its headline species like cacatuoides or borellii, pleurotaenia is worth tracking down — just go in prepared to rely on genus-general husbandry knowledge rather than a deep well of species-specific reporting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why was Apistogramma pleurotaenia's original description linked to Argentina?

Charles Tate Regan formally described the species in 1909 (Annals and Magazine of Natural History, Ser. 8, Vol. 3, No. 15, p. 270) under the title "Description of a new cichlid fish of the genus Heterogramma from La Plata" — a reference to the Río de la Plata estuary between Argentina and Uruguay. But the specimens Regan examined were aquarium fish, bred in captivity and sent to him by German hobbyists, and the locality information that came with them was simply wrong. Aquarium-trade reference databases now flag the type locality as erroneous, and a 2024 literature review (reported via pecescriollos.de, citing Morgenstern 2024) traces the real origin to Belém, Brazil — consistent with the species' now-documented range in the Lower Amazon and Tapajós drainage, nowhere near Argentina.

What water parameters does Apistogramma pleurotaenia need?

Published data is thinner here than for most species on this site. For breeding specifically, aquarium-trade references recommend a slightly acidic pH of 6.0–6.5 and soft water around 5 dGH. No species-specific aquarium temperature range has been published; we apply this site's genus-wide default of 73–84°F (23–29°C) — see our water parameters guide — rather than present a precise figure as confirmed for this particular species. Treat the general range as a reasonable starting point, not documented fact, until more aquarium-specific reporting exists.

How big does Apistogramma pleurotaenia get?

French aquarium reference fishfish.fr lists females at roughly 5cm (2") and males at roughly 7cm (2.75") — a mid-sized apisto, comparable to agassizii or macmasteri rather than the genus's smallest species. One hobbyist database separately lists an implausible 300mm (nearly 12 inch) maximum, almost certainly a data-entry error carried over from an unrelated, much larger fish, since no Apistogramma approaches that size. We discard that figure rather than present it as a real data point, the same way an outlier size figure was handled on this site's cinilabra guide.

Is Apistogramma pleurotaenia common in the aquarium trade?

No — none of the aquarium-specific references checked for this guide (Cichlidae.com, AquaticRepublic, fishfish.fr) list an established common or trade name for it, which is unusual for a species that's been in scientific literature since 1909. If you come across an "Apistogramma sp." offered under an informal trade name with a similar size or look, don't assume it's pleurotaenia — this genus has a long history of informally-named trade forms that later turn out to be entirely separate, still-undescribed species. Confirm the scientific name and collection locality with the seller rather than going by appearance alone; see our sourcing guide for what else to ask.

Is Apistogramma pleurotaenia endangered?

No formal assessment exists. Both Cichlidae.com and AquaticRepublic list its IUCN Red List status as Not Evaluated. That puts it in a different category from this site's iniridae (formally Vulnerable) or the Data Deficient/secondary-sourced Vulnerable ratings reported for pantalone and cinilabra — pleurotaenia simply hasn't been reviewed, likely because so little population data exists for a species rarely encountered in the trade.