{"id":1023,"date":"2026-02-16T22:38:31","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T22:38:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/product\/apistogramma-opal-3cm\/"},"modified":"2026-02-22T16:54:41","modified_gmt":"2026-02-22T16:54:41","slug":"apistogramma-opal-3cm","status":"publish","type":"product","link":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/?product=apistogramma-opal-3cm","title":{"rendered":"Apistogramma Opal &#8211; 3cm"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-start=\"232\" data-end=\"657\"><strong data-start=\"232\" data-end=\"245\">Overview:<\/strong><br data-start=\"245\" data-end=\"248\" \/>The <strong data-start=\"252\" data-end=\"273\">Apistogramma Opal<\/strong> is a breathtaking variant of <em data-start=\"303\" data-end=\"327\">Apistogramma agassizii<\/em>, beloved for its <strong data-start=\"345\" data-end=\"369\">iridescent blue body<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"371\" data-end=\"389\">red highlights<\/strong>, and <strong data-start=\"395\" data-end=\"424\">striking opalescent sheen<\/strong>. With graceful fins and vibrant coloration, this dwarf cichlid adds a splash of elegance to planted aquariums. Males are especially colorful and develop long, flowing fins, while females remain smaller and more golden in appearance.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"659\" data-end=\"919\"><strong data-start=\"659\" data-end=\"670\">Origin:<\/strong><br data-start=\"670\" data-end=\"673\" \/>Originally found in the <strong data-start=\"697\" data-end=\"713\">Amazon Basin<\/strong> of South America, this opal morph is the result of selective breeding from wild <em data-start=\"794\" data-end=\"808\">A. agassizii<\/em> populations. These fish thrive in <strong data-start=\"843\" data-end=\"866\">soft, acidic waters<\/strong> with dense plant growth and plenty of hiding places.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"921\" data-end=\"1164\"><strong data-start=\"921\" data-end=\"933\">Feeding:<\/strong><br data-start=\"933\" data-end=\"936\" \/>Apistogrammas are <strong data-start=\"954\" data-end=\"973\">micro-predators<\/strong>. Offer a varied diet of <strong data-start=\"998\" data-end=\"1028\">high-quality micro pellets<\/strong>, <strong data-start=\"1030\" data-end=\"1046\">frozen foods<\/strong> like bloodworms and brine shrimp, and occasional live treats such as daphnia or blackworms for best health and color.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1166\" data-end=\"1448\"><strong data-start=\"1166\" data-end=\"1181\">Tank Mates:<\/strong><br data-start=\"1181\" data-end=\"1184\" \/>Best kept with <strong data-start=\"1199\" data-end=\"1235\">peaceful, non-aggressive species<\/strong> such as small tetras, rasboras, pencilfish, otocinclus, and Corydoras. Avoid fin-nippers or overly active fish. Can be kept singly, in <strong data-start=\"1371\" data-end=\"1392\">male-female pairs<\/strong>, or in harems (1 male to 2+ females) with enough space.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1450\" data-end=\"1473\"><strong data-start=\"1450\" data-end=\"1471\">Water Parameters:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1474\" data-end=\"1748\">\n<li data-start=\"1474\" data-end=\"1512\">\n<p data-start=\"1476\" data-end=\"1512\">Temperature: <strong data-start=\"1489\" data-end=\"1510\">75\u201382\u00b0F (24\u201328\u00b0C)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1513\" data-end=\"1556\">\n<p data-start=\"1515\" data-end=\"1556\">pH: 6.0\u20137.2 (slightly acidic preferred)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1557\" data-end=\"1595\">\n<p data-start=\"1559\" data-end=\"1595\">Soft water preferred: <strong data-start=\"1581\" data-end=\"1593\">2\u201310 dGH<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1596\" data-end=\"1661\">\n<p data-start=\"1598\" data-end=\"1661\">Minimum Tank Size: <strong data-start=\"1617\" data-end=\"1631\">20 gallons<\/strong> (for a pair or small harem)<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"1662\" data-end=\"1748\">\n<p data-start=\"1664\" data-end=\"1748\">Provide <strong data-start=\"1672\" data-end=\"1727\">plenty of plants, caves, driftwood, and leaf litter<\/strong> for natural behavior<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"1750\" data-end=\"1921\"><strong data-start=\"1750\" data-end=\"1763\">Breeding:<\/strong><br data-start=\"1763\" data-end=\"1766\" \/>Relatively easy to breed in soft, acidic water. Females lay eggs in a sheltered cave and care for the fry. Males are territorial but not overly aggressive.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1923\" data-end=\"1943\"><strong data-start=\"1923\" data-end=\"1941\">Special Notes:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-start=\"1944\" data-end=\"2135\">\n<li data-start=\"1944\" data-end=\"2026\">\n<p data-start=\"1946\" data-end=\"2026\">Prefer <strong data-start=\"1953\" data-end=\"1988\">dim lighting and dark substrate<\/strong> to enhance colors and reduce stress<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2027\" data-end=\"2079\">\n<p data-start=\"2029\" data-end=\"2079\">Excellent for <strong data-start=\"2043\" data-end=\"2077\">biotope and planted aquascapes<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li data-start=\"2080\" data-end=\"2135\">\n<p data-start=\"2082\" data-end=\"2135\">Known for their <strong data-start=\"2098\" data-end=\"2135\">interactive, intelligent behavior<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-start=\"2137\" data-end=\"2339\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">The <strong data-start=\"2141\" data-end=\"2162\">Apistogramma Opal<\/strong> is a show-stopping centerpiece for a peaceful freshwater aquarium, offering both visual brilliance and fascinating cichlid behavior in a manageable, community-friendly package.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Overview:The Apistogramma Opal is a breathtaking variant of Apistogramma agassizii, beloved for its iridescent blue body, red highlights, and striking opalescent sheen. With graceful fins and vibrant coloration, this dwarf cichlid adds a splash of elegance to planted aquariums. Males are especially colorful and develop long, flowing fins, while females remain smaller and more golden [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":1022,"template":"","meta":[],"product_brand":[],"product_cat":[76],"product_tag":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-1023","1":"product","2":"type-product","3":"status-publish","4":"has-post-thumbnail","6":"product_cat-apistogramma","8":"first","9":"instock","10":"taxable","11":"shipping-taxable","12":"purchasable","13":"product-type-variable"},"group_of_quantity":0,"min_quantity":0,"max_quantity":"","exclude_order_quantity_value_rules":"no","exclude_category_quantity_rules":"no","combine_variations":"no","exclude_global_add_ons":[],"addons":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product\/1023","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/product"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/product"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/1022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1023"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"product_brand","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_brand&post=1023"},{"taxonomy":"product_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_cat&post=1023"},{"taxonomy":"product_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/aquadistribution.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fproduct_tag&post=1023"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}