Apistogramma cacatuoides

Hookedonaquatics 2013-05-18, 00:58

just got my first pair! can anybody tell me about these guys?
I researched them obviously but I like to know of
other peoples experiences.

Seattle_Aquarist 2013-05-18, 01:18

Hi Hookedonaquatic,

What would you like to know?

Feeding: I feed mine twice a day; flake in the AM and frozen bloodworms at night

Temp: About 77 degrees

PH: 6.6

dKH: 2-4

dGH: 5-7

Planted tank with lots of cover; caves and driftwood for spawning; good filtration; 33% H2O changes weekly

10 gallon breeding tank
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Young breeding pair A. cacatuoides Triple Red
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Fry from spawn; actually juvies at this point
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Hookedonaquatics 2013-05-18, 02:58

Your pair look amazing ! Thanks for the advice these guys are beautiful !
Will these guys be ok with other fish?

Guest 2013-05-18, 03:12

Hookedonaquatics wrote:just got my first pair! can anybody tell me about these guys?
I researched them obviously but I like to know of
other peoples experiences.

What type did you pick up?

bassetman 2013-05-18, 09:50

They look great.

Seattle_Aquarist 2013-05-18, 10:17

Hookedonaquatics wrote:Your pair look amazing ! Thanks for the advice these guys are beautiful !
Will these guys be ok with other fish?

Hi Hookedonaquatics,

Unless they are breeding I find Apistos to be peaceful. I keep several pairs of Apistogramma baenschi in a 30 gallon with Cardinal Tetras, Rasboras, and Corydoras.

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Guest 2013-05-18, 11:10

Seattle_Aquarist wrote:
Hookedonaquatics wrote:Your pair look amazing ! Thanks for the advice these guys are beautiful !
Will these guys be ok with other fish?

Hi Hookedonaquatics,

Unless they are breeding I find Apistos to be peaceful. I keep several pairs of Apistogramma baenschi in a 30 gallon with Cardinal Tetras, Rasboras, and Corydoras.

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Geez Roy, what a gorgeous tank. Im making plans to plant a 10gallon long tank and absolutely love this picture. May I ask what type and where you found the substraight you used. I like this dark gray yet natural look. Definitely going to pick up some trident fern too.

@Hookedonaquatics, I too have many species together with Apistogramma. In a 140 gallon planted tank I have 5 males, 1 pair of mouth brooder apistos a pair of C. Regani irindae, school of corys, angel fish, and a partrige in a pear tree Wink

They all get along well. There is a dominate large male but they all thrive just fine.

Seattle_Aquarist 2013-05-18, 12:22

Hi Chad,

Thank you! Although the picture is about 2 years old it is one of my favorites; it is a tank that I had done for the GSAS Home Show. The substrate is montmorillonite clay and it's about 4 years old. The brand was Soilmaster Select Charcoal which unfortunately has been discontinued. If you are looking for a similar clay product check out aquariumplants.com Aquadurt in the Black Diamond color [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. If you would like a more inert substrate the Black Diamond 20/40 black blasting grit sold in our LFS will also give you a nice black substrate.

The plants are mostly Microsorum/java ferns ('Trident' and 'Windelov') along with a few stem plants.....it was a very low maintenance set-up.

Guest 2013-05-18, 13:43

Awesome Roy! Thanks again

Hookedonaquatics 2013-05-19, 14:29

Wow you guys are awesome beautiful fish and setups ! I'm starting to get into ciclids and want more and more . Im starting my first 55 gallon witch is big for me I have a few nano tanks that I aquascape and keep killi fish. I believe I have
Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlids - Apistogramma cacatuoides double red? Sorry I'm new to the ciclids .

Guest 2013-05-19, 14:45

Hookedonaquatics wrote:Wow you guys are awesome beautiful fish and setups ! I'm starting to get into ciclids and want more and more . Im starting my first 55 gallon witch is big for me I have a few nano tanks that I aquascape and keep killi fish. I believe I have
Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlids - Apistogramma cacatuoides double red? Sorry I'm new to the ciclids .

This is neat. I myself am doing the opposite. I started with LARGER (100+ gallons) tanks and currently setting up smaller "nano" tanks Smile

I too have a double red. Very nice looking fish.

Hookedonaquatics 2013-05-19, 23:35

this hobby is addicting.
I been going to fish stores trying to find
big anubius plants and other big low to medium light plants but im having
no luck. any ideas where I can get some?

Lamental Jester 2013-05-20, 00:06

Cory has some triple reds at his store. Beautiful! I think I found the inhabitants for my next setup

Hookedonaquatics 2013-05-21, 02:56

awesome I need to check out his store.
also can I put more than 1 pair of these dwarf ciclids in my tank?

Guest 2013-05-21, 12:04

Hookedonaquatics wrote:awesome I need to check out his store.
also can I put more than 1 pair of these dwarf ciclids in my tank?

Cory has more than a couple species of Apistogramma. Last time I was there (Saturday) there was triple red, a beautiful orange flash, and an odd strain which was pretty impressive. I believe he also had apistogramma nijsseni. There are littlerally 100's of strains. A lot of times it may difficult to find females. There are 2 reasons that i know of for this. 1 females look way different and possibly dont sell well. 2, to keep common hobbists from breeding uncommon apistos.

If I was you I would definally check out aquarium coop. This store seems to be picky about stock and concentrates on strong breeding and strains, and healthy fish! There is a stain of A. cacatuoides Orange flash that are absoluley amazing! No females though, I think its one of those deals where the breeder dont want others to breed them! The orange is that outstanding!!! My orange flash looks good but compared to aquarium co-op's orange flash mine looks dull : |

Guest 2013-05-21, 12:08

Hookedonaquatics wrote:awesome I need to check out his store.
also can I put more than 1 pair of these dwarf ciclids in my tank?

You can have more than 1 pair as long as the tank is big enough and they are of the same species. You can do whatever you wish but we as hobbists try to keep the strains pure and Apistogramma can cross breed. So if you end up with a bunch of mutts they will be hard to get rid of...

Hookedonaquatics 2013-05-22, 01:43

when you say cross breed you mean with other?

Guest 2013-05-22, 02:25

Hookedonaquatics wrote:when you say cross breed you mean with other?

Different species of apistos are known to interbreed with each other and make mutty offspring, mudding up the colors.

We-must-keep-the-bloodlines-pure Wink

CrazedAce 2013-05-22, 13:35

I keep pundamilia nyererei and have noticed they look similar to many of the apisto species. The males may look a little different, but the females are almost identical.

Guest 2013-06-14, 14:12

While I NORMALLY agree that you shouldn't interbreed... That's not how genetics work, Chad.
Double red, Triple Red, and Orange Flash, are all cacatuoides. IE, a pair of one kind WILL throw babies of others.

Also, there's a theory, that in the wild Kingfishers scoop up apistos to feed their babies, and consequently, travel up to 20 miles. Apistos are smart enough to play dead, and kingfisher young will throw back dead fish. And these fish really don't care WHERE they're dropped. As long as the find another fish to mate with.
The only "purity" to them is that you believe they started out as a pure strain, or want to keep what you have "pure".
Ever seen a shop with a lone "Unknown" Apisto they got from their shipper? This is why.

Anthraxx 2013-06-15, 19:51

indeed hybridization and variation within a certain species occurs even in the wild, tropical fish hobbyist had a great article on the subject last month on wild sword tails. pretty neat stuff and might shed some light here, also i had no idea that the kingfisher population might be moving species around like that. any idea if theres any literature on this?

Guest 2013-06-15, 22:53

Chuck Rambo did a talk for the GSAS about Dwarf Cichlids, on 11/08/11. He talks about it at the 50:55 mark.
Gotta be a GSAS member to DL it though. *The link DL's a batch torrent of all the 2011 talks.* You only need; "Chuck Rambo: Rare and Unusual Dwarf Cichlids"
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Guest 2013-06-17, 13:45

PvtPain66k wrote:While I NORMALLY agree that you shouldn't interbreed... That's not how genetics work, Chad.
Double red, Triple Red, and Orange Flash, are all cacatuoides. IE, a pair of one kind WILL throw babies of others.

Also, there's a theory, that in the wild Kingfishers scoop up apistos to feed their babies, and consequently, travel up to 20 miles. Apistos are smart enough to play dead, and kingfisher young will throw back dead fish. And these fish really don't care WHERE they're dropped. As long as the find another fish to mate with.
The only "purity" to them is that you believe they started out as a pure strain, or want to keep what you have "pure".
Ever seen a shop with a lone "Unknown" Apisto they got from their shipper? This is why.

Very interesting!

Jay 2013-07-01, 16:20

I've enjoyed all the dialogue on the apistos. It's nice to see people keeping them and discussing them. I keep 7 species right now and each one is different. Great size, great coloring and all around enjoyable fish to have.

Here are some pics of my Orange Flash......

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Female with fry!

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Her mate.....

Guest 2013-07-01, 18:36

Jay wrote:I've enjoyed all the dialogue on the apistos. It's nice to see people keeping them and discussing them. I keep 7 species right now and each one is different. Great size, great coloring and all around enjoyable fish to have.

Here are some pics of my Orange Flash......

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Female with fry!

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Her mate.....

I would be interested in Apistos if you ever have any you wish to get rid of. I have room for 3-4 males in my big tank & searching for an interesting species pair for a smaller tank. The picture of your Orange Flash is amazing. I dont see this fish with SOLID BRIGHT orange fins that often.

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