When I got my first tank, I spent hours combing google image searches looking at beautiful fish. Apistogramma Cacatuoides were on my list of fish I fell in love with but didn't think I'd ever get to own.
They're hard to find in my area... exceptionally so.
Last summer, I found two females and a male in a fish store 2 hours away and, having an empty 15 gallon tank at the time, immediately bought them and named them Boris, Belle and Beatrice.
I later discovered that two females was not enough... Boris died of unknown causes 7 months after I bought him (no water chemistry issues, and he'd been visually fine the day before), and Belle and Beatrice soon started fighting after his death. Beatrice is still significantly smaller than Belle to this day because Belle wouldn't let her eat. Beatrice was rarely seen in the tank....
I spent almost a year searching fish stores in a 4 hour radius for more of these, and by chance last week I found some. Bought myself another female (Bitsy) and a new male (Boris II), and introduced them slowly to my tank.
I now see a lot more of Beatrice, although I always have to spend a couple minutes doing my headcount every morning to make sure I can still see everyone and everyone is still looking physically healthy.
I noticed that Belle took on almost an orangey-tinge to her body, while Beatrice, Bitsy and Boris were all brown/gray. Is this a maturity thing? A dominance thing? Or just a mood thing?
Belle and Beatrice haven't grown much in the year I've had them... are they supposed to be this slow growing?
And... The photos!
Boris II--- The new male; he disappears every time I bring the camera out.
Belle --- she looks almost orange all over!
Bitsy --- my newest female; she's got no fear at all!
Beatrice -- By far, the most difficult fish to find in my tank. She's got the world's best hiding places!
They're hard to find in my area... exceptionally so.
Last summer, I found two females and a male in a fish store 2 hours away and, having an empty 15 gallon tank at the time, immediately bought them and named them Boris, Belle and Beatrice.
I later discovered that two females was not enough... Boris died of unknown causes 7 months after I bought him (no water chemistry issues, and he'd been visually fine the day before), and Belle and Beatrice soon started fighting after his death. Beatrice is still significantly smaller than Belle to this day because Belle wouldn't let her eat. Beatrice was rarely seen in the tank....
I spent almost a year searching fish stores in a 4 hour radius for more of these, and by chance last week I found some. Bought myself another female (Bitsy) and a new male (Boris II), and introduced them slowly to my tank.
I now see a lot more of Beatrice, although I always have to spend a couple minutes doing my headcount every morning to make sure I can still see everyone and everyone is still looking physically healthy.
I noticed that Belle took on almost an orangey-tinge to her body, while Beatrice, Bitsy and Boris were all brown/gray. Is this a maturity thing? A dominance thing? Or just a mood thing?
Belle and Beatrice haven't grown much in the year I've had them... are they supposed to be this slow growing?
And... The photos!
Boris II--- The new male; he disappears every time I bring the camera out.
Belle --- she looks almost orange all over!
Bitsy --- my newest female; she's got no fear at all!
Beatrice -- By far, the most difficult fish to find in my tank. She's got the world's best hiding places!
