*****Please review our Shipping and Handling FAQ prior to placing your order. Scientific Name: Apistogramma cacatuoidesĭiet: Small flake or pellet, small frozen or live foodsĬompatibility: Schooling fish, plecos, small catfish, livebearers, rainbowfish. Dither fish such as small tetras and livebearers can be used to provide parents with targets to chase. Fry are guarded by one or both parents for several weeks. Cichlid caves, overturned flower pots, and leaf litter work well.īreeding is achieved by feeding live baby brine shrimp to an adult pair and providing a proper tank setup. The tank should be furnished with several caves or nooks to protect and spawn in. A sandy substrate is necessary due to their earth-eating habits. Apistogramma cacatuoides is a larger species of Apistogramma and will work well as a pair in a 20 gallon tank. These fish are a wild strain and are not the tank-bred variety with bright red or orange fins. Wild populations have subtle blue and yellow colors with a few orange spots on the caudal fin.įemales will turn bright yellow with black fins when in breeding dress. These are one of the few South American dwarf cichlids that can tolerate alkaline water.Remarks: Apistogramma cacatuoides is one of the most popular Apistogramma species. Water conditions should be maintained in the pH 6.5-pH 8.0 range. Females also can be highly territorial, not only when in brood care. In the case of very large aquariums, more males can be kept together, provided there is plenty of territory, such as wood, heavy planting, and caves. But because the male is highly territorial, the fish should be kept in pairs, trios (one male with two females), or harems (one male with many females), and in the company of peaceful tankmates like tetras. The cockatoo dwarf is one of the best suited cichlid species for the planted aquarium. Maintenance in the aquarium A female and her offspring If breeding is to be attempted in a community aquarium, fast-swimming fish should be avoided as they will poach the fry from the female A. Small aquaria (less than 120 litres) should be avoided if more than a single pair is to be kept, as a female will protect an area of approximately 30 centimeters in radius. If the dominant male then dies, this submissive male will then develop the full finnage. He will "pretend" to be a female and take any opportunities presented to mate with willing females. Due to the aggressive, territorial nature of the males, a submissive male will not develop the full "cockatoo" finnage nor the full male coloration. One of the more interesting traits of Apistogramma cacatuoides is that of "sneaker" males. She takes care of the eggs by herself, while the male guards the territory. The female places her eggs inside the roof of a cavity or underneath a leaf. Breeding Female with newly free-swimming fry The bottom of these waters is covered with leaves that are used by the fish for hiding. The fish prefer a water temperature between 24 and 28 ☌. The cockatoo dwarf cichlid is found in the Amazon River basin, in tributaries of the Ucayali, Amazon and Solimões rivers from the Pachitea River to Tabatinga in Peru and Colombia where it lives in small shallow streams or lagoon-like waters in the rain forest. Both sexes have a dark line leading from the eye to the bottom of the gill flap. Because of selective breeding the colors are now much more pronounced. There are several color forms which naturally occur in the wild these include blues, yellows and some reds. In addition, she lacks the elongated dorsal rays of the male and her ventral fins show a black leading edge. Her background color is a pale yellow, but this will become vibrant when mating or brood protecting. In color, the female is quite dull but with a clear black line running along her flanks. The leading 3 or 4 hard rays are elongated, and the ventral fins are clear. The male is more colorful than the female, usually with red/orange dorsal and caudal fins. The body shape is long and of middle height and the mouth is rather big with thick lips. The female is considerably smaller, reaching only 5 centimetres. The male cockatoo dwarf cichlid reaches a body length of 8 centimetres. Apistogramma cacatuoides or the cockatoo dwarf cichlid is a South American cichlid and the Apistogramma species most commonly bred in captivity.Ĭharacteristics The adult male is twice the size of the adult female
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |