Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid

[Breakthecycle2]

Once I get my tank massacre solved and settled and add new fish, I was thinking about these guys, but no nothing about them other then what i read in the pinned section. Are they a community fish? Are they delicate like Blue Rams?

 

[pnyklr3]

Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlids are among the hardiest of the apistogramma. They will do well in a community. They prefer soft acidic water, but I have successfully kept them in water with a pH of almost 9 (they just don't breed as often and the eggs never make it to wrigglers). A great "starter" apistogramma IMO.

Be advised, however, that if they spawn, you will have a male and female defending eggs. IME, they have only darted at a passing fish, not chased it down to nip it or kill it.

Hope this helps.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

So they would work well with a school of rummy noses or blood fin, and some cories? Would there be an aggression if Bolivian rams were also homed in the tank?

 

[Jer-]

They would be fine with corys and rummy noses unless they are planning on breeding.

but in a large enough tank this problem shud not cause too much concern.

This also holds true with the pair of bolivians. The bolivians may be attacked if the cockatoos breed or vice versa.

HTH.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

Ok, now I need to find a store that sells them.

 

[guppymonkey]

If you really want to find a good pair of them try the internet. I see them on www.aquabid.com all the time but you usually have to pay shipping costs. Sometimes you can find a shop that will special order them for you. Thats what I did to get some Apistogramma agassizzi.

 

[pnyklr3]

Dave Soares sells on aquabid all the time. He is constantly selling many types of apistogramma under the name "ApistoDave." Very nice fish IMO.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

I found two stores that sell them for 15 and 20 bucks a piece. Is that about right?

 

[Seb R]

they great fish, definatly get some. Personally i dont like putting dwarf cichlids together.

Think they about that price, mine were £12 a pair.

 

[Dragonscales]

Just thought I'd mention that cockatoos are typically harem breeders and you will have better success breeding them if you have around 2-3 females per male.

 

[pnyklr3]

Agreed. I keep mine in trios at the very least.

 

[Seb R]

One female and one male can work fine though, the male will just be a bit more of a parent and hlap the female gaurd and shoal them. A nice change actually ^^

 

[jollysue]

I understood that the female may get harrassed by the male, sometimes to illness and death, if there are not enough females in the harem.