Hippolyta Apistogramma

Apistogramma hippolytae is a beautiful blackwater species collected from the lower Rio Negro drainage of Brazil, where it shares habitat with classic Amazonian species like cardinal tetras and altum angelfish. Males are slender and elegant, with intricate horizontal banding and azure-blue finnage that shimmers under soft lighting.

This species is sensitive to water quality and genuinely requires soft, acidic conditions to maintain health and coloration over the long term. It does best in a mature, well-established aquarium with stable chemistry rather than a newly cycled tank.

A. hippolytae is a cave spawner like most of the genus; females become vivid yellow during parental care and defend the nest area surprisingly vigorously for their modest size.

Water: Soft, acidic — pH 4.5–6.5, temperature 25–29°C, low conductivity. Tank: 60 L; blackwater biotope with leaf litter, driftwood, and gentle flow. Feeding: Small live/frozen invertebrates; quality micro-pellets accepted. Breeding: Cave spawner; female exclusively guards; needs very soft water for fry survival. Compatibility: Cardinal tetras, pencilfish, and other small Rio Negro species.