For the safety of our animals, we now ship live fish exclusively via UPS Next Day Air. If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS Next Day Air as a shipping option during checkout.
This dwarf cichlid is one of the most peaceful cichlid species available—and a standout choice for planted aquariums! The Golden Dwarf Cichlid (Nannacara anomala) is an ideal beginner-friendly fish with a lot of personality and plenty of potential for breeding projects. Males feature a glowing iridescent blue body with golden-yellow fins, while females show a lovely yellow base color and a striking checkerboard pattern during spawning.
This species thrives in well-structured tanks with sandy substrate, driftwood, clay pots, or rock formations to provide shelter. Though peaceful overall, Golden Dwarf Cichlids can become territorial during breeding. They do well in community tanks when given ample space and hiding places but should not be kept with dwarf shrimp or other small, delicate inverts. More durable shrimp and snails may be suitable in larger tanks with caution.
Feeding is easy—this fish eagerly accepts high-quality dry, frozen, and live meaty foods, with occasional vegetable matter for balance. We are proud to offer sexed young adult tank-bred specimens of this colorful and underrated gem!
Beautiful neon blue sheen in males and vivid checkerboard spawning pattern in females
Peaceful disposition makes it one of the most community-friendly dwarf cichlids
Hardy and easy to care for—excellent for breeding projects
Does well in planted aquariums with natural decor
Adds dynamic behavior and color without aggressive tendencies
Native to Suriname and other parts of northern South America, the Golden Dwarf Cichlid inhabits slow-moving freshwater streams with sandy bottoms, scattered leaf litter, and submerged roots or driftwood. These calm, warm waters are typically acidic and low in hardness, making planted aquariums an ideal home.
Plants: Amazon Swords, Cryptocoryne, Java Fern, or Anubias
Hardscape: Smooth stones, driftwood, clay pots, or rock caves
Botanicals: Indian Almond Leaves, Casuarina Pods, or Alder Cones for tannin-rich water and extra refuge. Our Botanical Breeder Combo Pack is a great start to giving these fish a sense of security and a place to call home.
This carnivorous species thrives on a variety of high-protein foods. Feed a mix of high-quality dry pellets or flakes alongside frozen or live treats such as bloodworms, brine shrimp, and daphnia. Supplement with blanched vegetables or spirulina-based foods a few times a week for complete nutrition.
Recommended Food:
🔹 Ultra Fresh Betta Pro Shrimp Patties – Shrimp Delight
A protein-rich, color-enhancing pellet made with whole shrimp and natural ingredients. Ideal for dwarf cichlids and small carnivores, this food supports energy, coloration, and overall vitality.
Best kept with other peaceful species in a well-decorated aquarium. Avoid fin-nipping fish or other aggressive cichlids. Not recommended with dwarf shrimp or nano inverts, but may coexist with hardy snails or larger shrimp in larger setups.
❌ No – not safe with dwarf shrimp. May eat or harass shrimp, especially in smaller tanks.
Golden Dwarf Cichlids are substrate spawners and often breed in caves or crevices. Females become especially colorful during spawning and guard their fry attentively. Minimal tank mates and soft, slightly acidic water conditions help increase success.
Temperature: 72° – 77° F (22° – 25° C)
pH: 6.0 – 7.5
KH: 0 – 10 dKH
Minimum Tank Size: 15–20 gallons for a trio
Diet: Carnivorous with some vegetable supplementation
Social Behavior: Peaceful, with mild territoriality during breeding
Origin: Tank bred Imported
Average Adult Size: Males: 3 inches (7.6 cm), Females: 1.5 inches (3.8 cm)
Average Purchase Size: 1.2 – 1.6 inches (3 – 4 cm)
Add a peaceful pop of color to your tank with this underrated dwarf cichlid—great for planted tanks and breeding setups alike!
Live Arrival Guarantee:
All Aquatic Arts brand plants and animals come with a 100% live arrival guarantee, plus free email support!
For the safety of our animals, we only ship live fish, crabs, and select other inverts exclusively via UPS 1 Day Air. If your order contains this item, you will only see UPS 1 Day Air as a shipping option during checkout. If other items are in your cart that can ship with 2 day or standard shipping options the only shipping method you can still select is UPS 1 Day Air.
UPS 1 Day is a description of the duration of time a shipment will spend in transit once it has been shipped. This does not guarantee the package will be shipped the same or next day from which the order was placed.
Shipping Schedule for this service
Current Handling Time:
1-9 business days
Here at Aquatic Arts, we consider the welfare of the live animals we are shipping to be of the foremost importance. This process is much more involved than simply creating a shipping label and affixing it to a box. Depending on the order, it takes from 4 to 7 people to complete this process properly. We check the weather conditions here where they fly out of the Indianapolis UPS facility and the destination for each shipment. We start early each morning and go through a multi-step process to have the day's shipments prepared in time for the UPS pickup. The volume of orders in our system also affects the processing time. Therefore our stated handling time is 1-9 business days.
Shipping Rate
Pricing is by size of package needed to fill entire order and distance it must travel. It will be calculated at checkout.
