Not furry, but we like them anyway.
Keyhole Cichlid
Cleithracara maronii (Steindachner, 1881)
Also called Acara maronii, Aequidens maronii
From Northern South America: coastal rivers from the Barima River in Guyana to French Guiana, plus the Orinoco delta in Venezuela and Trinidad.123
At a glance the quick version
Looks how to spot one
Oval-bodied small cichlid
A rounded, tan cichlid with a dark mark high on each flank shaped like a keyhole; males grow larger with longer dorsal and anal fins.32
Personality what they are like
Peaceful and rather timid; it avoids conflict and only gets protective when breeding.23
Daily activity how busy a day looks
A slow forager that moves around plants and wood near the bottom.21
Grooming and care the hands-on bits
Give plants, wood and hiding places, and add small schooling fish to help it feel secure.23
Home where they are happiest
Tropical water of about 21 to 28 C, pH roughly 4 to 8 and up to 15-20 dGH, in a tank with a base of at least 90 x 30 cm.21
Food basics what goes in the bowl
Omnivorous; quality dried foods plus live or frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and daphnia.21
Company who they like around
Young fish like company; adults form monogamous pairs and suit a community of peaceful fish.23
The story where it all began
Franz Steindachner described it in 1881 from the Maroni River in French Guiana, first as Acara maronii and later as Aequidens maronii, before it got its own genus. Most aquarium fish today are farmed.23
Fun facts for the dinner table
- 1
Its genus name means 'lock acara', from the Greek word for lock plus acara, a Guarani word for cichlids, inspired by the keyhole marking.2
- 2
When startled it turns blotchy and presses itself against wood or rock to blend in.3
- 3
It is the only species in its genus.3
- 4
Both parents care for the eggs and young, sometimes for months.2
Recognised by the official bits
- IUCN Red List
- Least Concern (assessed 28 October 2020)1
- Taxonomy
- Described by Steindachner in 1881 as Acara maronii; the only species in the genus Cleithracara3
The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you
A typical home-care rhythm for a Keyhole Cichlid. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.
- FeedingSmall amounts once or twice a dayevery day
- Temperature checkevery day
- Water changeAbout 25% of the waterevery week
- Water testevery week
- Glass cleanevery week
- Filter rinseRinse in old tank water, never tap waterevery month
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Where this comes from
Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.
- FishBase: Cleithracara maronii fishbase.seused for distribution, size, water parameters, IUCN, biology
- Seriously Fish: Cleithracara maronii seriouslyfish.comused for size, water parameters, tank size, diet, behaviour, etymology, history
- Wikipedia: Keyhole cichlid en.wikipedia.orgused for taxonomy, appearance, camouflage behaviour, breeding
Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.