Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid Compatibility

[dave_gray2077]

What is this fish compatible with?

Just want to know if it can be kept with cardinal tetras. I'm in the process of setting up a planted tank and I'm aiming for a Rio negro biotope so I'm scouting for more stock. I all ready have the cardinals in the tank so they are fixed.

 

[caboose_122]

yeah, they will be fine, im doing the same thing as you with the blackwater biotope, how big is the tank?, in the Rio negro blackwater, there is lots of rotting wood and very little plants, the most common are vallis and amazon sword species

 

[Davo86]

yeah, they will be fine, im doing the same thing as you with the blackwater biotope, how big is the tank?, in the Rio negro blackwater, there is lots of rotting wood and very little plants, the most common are vallis and amazon sword species

yeah as stated they'll be fine, a friend of mine has 3 cockatoos, 10 cardinals and 2 farlowella cats in a similar set up

 

[dave_gray2077]

The tank is 450 liters.

I have 15KG of bogwood on order.

Plants are going to be Echinodorus uruguayensis as a back ground plant. Also Echinodorus bleheri (paniculatus).

Echinodorus tenellus as a forground carpet inbertween the bogwood. With some small amounts of hairgrass.

Im aiming for a shallow riverbank look.

Arnt Vallisneria from Asia and australia? It seemd to get quoted alot thats its from blackwater setups how ever it does not fit the Rio negro. Vallisneria americana gets close buts that from north america not the south. Am i missing something?

 

[RadaR]

Here is a great article on setting up such a tank. Use it as just a guidline.
Hope it helps.

 

[doubledee]

I was just about to post that link!!

I too was going to go for a true biotope but gave up on the plants as I wanted easy to grow plants other than just swords. You can't beat narrow leaf java fern on wood and java moss is also useful as a food source and a hiding place should your apistos spawn. So, I just chose the fish from a certain region and said stuff it to the plants.

Once you set it up, make sure you post pics, I like seeing biotope setups!

 

[kribensis12]

I love bio-types, but i have no money to make one of my own.

 

[dave_gray2077]

I'm planning on having a few plants. I'm ditching my I.E though as its getting to expensive on this size tank.

Just need to wait for the bog wood and my UV steriliser to rid me of some nasty green water so i can actually see the tank.

My get a RO unit as well as I'm in a very hard water 14-16Gh area with Ph 8 water. CO2 in the tank keeps it down but I'm thinking of removing it.

 

[doubledee]

I have crypts, sags, hygrophila, anubias, java fern (narrow), java moss and amazon swords in mine. I just add a weekly dose of ferts and everything grows like a jungle. I have had dodgy results with wisteria, vallis, rotala and hairgrass but everything else grows ok without co2, EI and loads of light. Suits me, I'm more interested in the fish. Just trying to get the apisto eggs to hatch. I'm going to try and soften the water a little with some leaves. I'm lucky in that my water is pretty good and soft (ph 6.5-7) but apparently not soft enough for the eggs to hatch. Either that or my male is just old!!! Pencilfish spawn almost weekly but the tetras keep eating the eggs.

 

[dave_gray2077]

I'm buying an RO machine to bring my water stat's into line. But im not planning on breading.

Im planing on a carpet of dwarf swords.

How big is your tank doubledee and what lighting are you using? Add peat to your filter to soften your water. It works ok. I believe RO is the way to go though.

thinking about it it would have been easier to do lake Malawi but iv already bought some cardinals

 

[doubledee]

I'm buying an RO machine to bring my water stat's into line. But im not planning on breading.

Im planing on a carpet of dwarf swords.

How big is your tank doubledee and what lighting are you using? Add peat to your filter to soften your water. It works ok. I believe RO is the way to go though.

thinking about it it would have been easier to do lake Malawi but iv already bought some cardinals

My tank is 180litres and has standard lighting. I'm using 2 Interpet tubes, Daylight plus and Triplus. I used peat in an old tank years ago but didn't like the way it stained the water. I'm hoping these leaves don't stain it too much. I thought about an RO unit but didn't like the idea of all that waste water. I actually use filtered water for my tanks, using an undersink water filter from B&Q, so I suppose I could quite easily replace it with an RO unit but I also use it for drinking, so I'm loathe to get rid of it!

I fancy adding another pair of Apistos (Borrelli, Macmasteri, Hongsloi etc.) to my tank but am a wee bit concerned about the war that might break out. The tank is quite heavily planted but there is only really one piece of wood that covers most of the tank so I'm not sure if there are enough territory markers. There is also a pile of large stones that I siliconed together to fashion a spawning cave. I might see if I can add another. The agassizzi have spawned in both the cave and also a hole in the wood but no luck so far in getting the eggs to hatch.