Chocolate Cichlid
Hypselecara temporalis
The Chocolate Cichlid (Hypselecara temporalis) is a peaceful fish that's best left to experienced keepers. Give it a tank of at least 245 litres (65 US gallons), water held at 77-84°F, and a pH of 6-7.5.
Captive lifespan reflects typical experience in a home aquarium, not maximum recorded age; genetics, sourcing, and care vary.
Natural distribution
South America (Amazon basin)
- South America
Regional colours match the stocking calculator's origin map.
Chocolate Cichlid Tank Setup
Give them at least 245 litres (65 US gallons). Cichlids are territorial and produce plenty of waste, so strong filtration and some rocks or wood to break up sight lines both help. Aim for 77-84°F and a pH around 6-7.5. They grow to around 30 cm, so plan the tank size and filtration for a full-grown adult rather than the small juvenile you see in the shop.
What Do Chocolate Cichlids Eat?
They're not fussy eaters - feed a varied diet, rotating good-quality dry, frozen, and gel foods rather than the same thing every day, and match the food size to their mouths.
Chocolate Cichlid Tank Mates
Genuinely peaceful for its size - one of the more sociable large cichlids, and can often be kept in a group given enough space. Still needs a very large, mature tank with excellent filtration given its adult size. The Chocolate Cichlid is peaceful, which is the first thing to weigh up when you choose tank mates. At around 30 cm fully grown, it needs tank mates that can hold their own against its size and appetite. Before you buy, run your full stocking list through our stocking calculator. It weighs temperament, adult size, and water needs together, which a single species page can't do on its own.
Are Chocolate Cichlids Good for Beginners?
Not a sensible first purchase. Get the tank cycled, keep easier fish stable for a year, then revisit if you still want the extra work this species demands.
Chocolate Cichlid - frequently asked questions
What size tank do Chocolate Cichlids need?
Chocolate Cichlids need a tank of at least 245 litres (65 US gallons). A bigger tank is always easier to keep stable, and gives them more room to settle in and behave naturally.
What water parameters do Chocolate Cichlids need?
Keep them at 77-84°F with a pH of 6-7.5, steady rather than chased to an exact figure. In a cycled tank, ammonia and nitrite should both read 0 ppm, with nitrate kept low through regular water changes.
What do Chocolate Cichlids eat?
Chocolate Cichlids are omnivores and aren't fussy eaters. Feed a varied mix of good-quality dry, frozen, and gel foods, and match the food size to their mouths. Feed small amounts once or twice a day, and remove anything they don't eat.
Are Chocolate Cichlids good for beginners?
Chocolate Cichlids are not a beginner species. They need precise conditions and consistent maintenance, so build experience with hardier fish before keeping them.
Common mistakes with Chocolate Cichlids
- Underestimating tank size - the minimum footprint is 245 litres (65 US gallons); impulse buying into a smaller tank leads to stress and shortened lifespan.
Building a community? Run the full list through the stocking calculator before you add anything else.
Great tank mates
Chosen from temperament, overlapping temperature/pH bands, plausible minimum tank footprints, and size versus yours in App-aquatic data. Hobby nuance always wins - verify stocking and temperament before purchasing.
Check Chocolate Cichlid against any other fish → Compares water parameters, predation risk, fin nipping and tank size, and draws both at life size.
Fish to avoid mixing with Chocolate Cichlids
These well-known species are commonly sold alongside this fish but are not recommended tank mates - verify before purchasing.
- Pea PufferPredator - Pea Puffer will eat or injure smaller tank mates
- Serpae TetraFin nipper - will shred the fins of peaceful fish
- Plakat BettaFin nipper - will shred the fins of peaceful fish
