Deciding Stocking - Apistogramma Cacatuoides?

[Whitey_144]

Hi im trying to work out what fish to stock a new tank. the tank's not setup, but im trying to research ahead of time!

it will be a 130litre Tropiquarium88, probably with gravel and planted and the filter is Eheim Biopower 240.

I'm already thinking of having Angelfish (i have a larger tank which i could always move some fish too later) and maybe a nice pleco.

I would also like to try a colourful dwarf cichlid (some of the signatures on here look awesome!), it seems the Apistogramma cacatuoides (cockatoo) is good for first time of this type of fish, are there other similar types that look attractive and are easy to keep/breed?


for the Apistogramma cacatuoides...

• 
  are they easy to breed?
  how many can you have in a tank of this size?
  what would you feed them to induce them to breed?
  how about setting up caves?

basically any info that would help is much appreciated!

thanks,
adam

 

[FreedomFighter]

for the Apistogramma cacatuoides...

• 
  are they easy to breed? Moderate. Getting them to spawn is easy, getting the fry to stay alive is less so.
  
  how many can you have in a tank of this size? I would suggest 1 male, 2-3 females. Wouldn't suggest a second male, but it would be possible, but you'd be risking possible dead fish, all dependant on fish temperament, how your tank is set up, and how many caves.
  
  what would you feed them to induce them to breed? Meaty food. Brine shrimp, blood worm, daphnia.
  
  how about setting up caves? Upturned flower pots, resin caves, bogwood caves, stacked stones. Anything dark and cavelike.

basically any info that would help is much appreciated!

thanks,
adam

I think it's about time I got back into keeping cockatoo's. I miss them.

Also, check the quote above for my answers.

 

[Whitey_144]

for the Apistogramma cacatuoides...

• 
  are they easy to breed? Moderate. Getting them to spawn is easy, getting the fry to stay alive is less so.
  
  how many can you have in a tank of this size? I would suggest 1 male, 2-3 females. Wouldn't suggest a second male, but it would be possible, but you'd be risking possible dead fish, all dependant on fish temperament, how your tank is set up, and how many caves.
  
  what would you feed them to induce them to breed? Meaty food. Brine shrimp, blood worm, daphnia.
  
  how about setting up caves? Upturned flower pots, resin caves, bogwood caves, stacked stones. Anything dark and cavelike.

basically any info that would help is much appreciated!

thanks,
adam

I think it's about time I got back into keeping cockatoo's. I miss them.

Also, check the quote above for my answers.

hi, thanks for your help.

so would you feed flake food sometimes, then switch to more meaty food.

i don't like the idea of the flowerpots, well at least not visibe, but i'm sure i could find a way to camouflage it. i will have bogwood too, so i should be bale to make at least a few decent caves.

would they be ok with Angelfish? including temp and food.

Any other suggestions of other nice fish to keep with these. i was thinking of yoyo loach, but i guess they may try to eat the eggs?

cheers

 

[FreedomFighter]

hi, thanks for your help.

so would you feed flake food sometimes, then switch to more meaty food.

i don't like the idea of the flowerpots, well at least not visibe, but i'm sure i could find a way to camouflage it. i will have bogwood too, so i should be bale to make at least a few decent caves.

would they be ok with Angelfish? including temp and food.

Any other suggestions of other nice fish to keep with these. i was thinking of yoyo loach, but i guess they may try to eat the eggs?

cheers

Oddly enough, I never once fed my old cockatoo's flake. I fed them frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp every other day that I had them. They seemed to love it.
But saying that, a high quality flake would be fine, I would presume.

If your angel is of good temperament, then they should get on fine. If your angel is a grumpy sod, then it could be difficult. But cockatoo's are fast when they want to be, the angel would be lucky to get near them.

I've never kept a yoyo loach, so cannot advise there. But it's possible, cockatoo's spawn on the roof of the cave, the yoyo would need to swim upside down to get the eggs, and the female would bully the hell out of the loach if it tried to get near the eggs.

Cockatoo's are very protective of the eggs.

Pile your bogwood up, maybe put in some rocks to create some natural caves, should be fine.

Other options would be Corydora catfish, these are docile enough, and will leave the cockatoo's well alone.

 

[Whitey_144]

Oddly enough, I never once fed my old cockatoo's flake. I fed them frozen bloodworm and brine shrimp every other day that I had them. They seemed to love it.
But saying that, a high quality flake would be fine, I would presume.

If your angel is of good temperament, then they should get on fine. If your angel is a grumpy sod, then it could be difficult. But cockatoo's are fast when they want to be, the angel would be lucky to get near them.

I've never kept a yoyo loach, so cannot advise there. But it's possible, cockatoo's spawn on the roof of the cave, the yoyo would need to swim upside down to get the eggs, and the female would bully the hell out of the loach if it tried to get near the eggs.

Cockatoo's are very protective of the eggs.

Pile your bogwood up, maybe put in some rocks to create some natural caves, should be fine.

Other options would be Corydora catfish, these are docile enough, and will leave the cockatoo's well alone.
[/quote]


i guess it would be easy enough to feed them frozen food, i'll see how they like the flakes, but mainly feed the meaty type.

i think i'll risk getting the angels too, because i could always move them to another tank.

corydoras, good call, i've kept these bfore, and liked them.

i'm looking forward to setting u the tank...gonna be a while though, got to build a stand for the tank this weekend and then cycle.

i'll put photos up when i'm done..

 

[FreedomFighter]

Well have fun building the stand.

And when it comes to cycling, have you got any mature filter media around you can use to speed up the cycle?

 

[BethK]

You can feed them sinking pellets, gives them the opportunity to get the food, if you have other fish in the tank. Apistos should have a varied diet, esp if you'd like them to breed. Apisto cacatuoides can live in a higher ph (mine are in 8) but for them to be happy enough to breed, I think they would need a softer water.

Mine get hikari mini pellets one day, the next day they get an all over staple food then then next day blood worm, then nothing on the 4th day.

You can use anything like slate caves, there is a guy on this forum that makes them cheap (in the sale section) or you can make them yourself, with garden or roof slate. Some people use coconut huts, others use terricota garden pots (turned up-side-down with either a cut out door or something underneathe, wedged to make an enterance).

 

[Whitey_144]

Well have fun building the stand.

And when it comes to cycling, have you got any mature filter media around you can use to speed up the cycle?

Hi Freedom,

measuring up right now for the stand...could be a long saturday morning DIYing!

unfortunately not, i used to run 4 fish tanks when i was younger, but de-commissioned all and this is the 1st re-commission. i looked at the thread on this website, but the contacts near me in surrey havent logged on in months or answered emails, i'm sure i can find a friend in my town who has a fish tank...time to call round! (maybe a facebook moment!)

 

[Whitey_144]

You can feed them sinking pellets, gives them the opportunity to get the food, if you have other fish in the tank. Apistos should have a varied diet, esp if you'd like them to breed. Apisto cacatuoides can live in a higher ph (mine are in 8) but for them to be happy enough to breed, I think they would need a softer water.

Mine get hikari mini pellets one day, the next day they get an all over staple food then then next day blood worm, then nothing on the 4th day.

You can use anything like slate caves, there is a guy on this forum that makes them cheap (in the sale section) or you can make them yourself, with garden or roof slate. Some people use coconut huts, others use terricota garden pots (turned up-side-down with either a cut out door or something underneathe, wedged to make an enterance).

that sounds like a good menu timeline! i may have to steal that off you ;-)

i think from memory our taop water's PH is around 7/7.5, but i can't test it till my API kit turns up.

I'll check out the sales section, an di wouldnt mine trying to make some my self too.

are we allowed to post websites on here? i found a good one. From their website, i like the look of Mikrogeophagus ramirezi and the west african Pelvicachromis taeniatus.

Do people often mix in West African dwarfs with South American?? and would either of the above be ok with the cockatoo. e.g. maybe 1M2F of cockatoo and 1M2F of Ramirezi?

 

[FreedomFighter]

that sounds like a good menu timeline! i may have to steal that off you ;-)

i think from memory our taop water's PH is around 7/7.5, but i can't test it till my API kit turns up.

I'll check out the sales section, an di wouldnt mine trying to make some my self too.

are we allowed to post websites on here? i found a good one. From their website, i like the look of Mikrogeophagus ramirezi and the west african Pelvicachromis taeniatus.

Do people often mix in West African dwarfs with South American?? and would either of the above be ok with the cockatoo. e.g. maybe 1M2F of cockatoo and 1M2F of Ramirezi?

I don't think you're allowed to post links to other forums, websites should be fine, but just in case you can always PM it to me.

And rams with apisto is possible, some bullying will be expected until they set up territories, so have plenty of hiding spaces etc.