cockatoo cichlids

[fishboy444]

Could I keep a pair of cockatoo cichlids(1male,1female) with a rts in a 75 gal.?
65 gal.?
55 gal.?
also with a pair of keyholes,pair of bolivian rams,6 zebrafish.

 

[bs6749]

What is an "rts"? A red tailed shark? Nevertheless, since you already have a pair of keyholes and bolivians in the tank the apistos would fit in just fine. The footprint of a 75g is large enough to accomodate all of those fish. I would recommend a trio (1M, 2F) however, as apistos are harem spawners and the male works between multiple females leaving her to care for the offspring. That means if there is only one female she will be constantly harassed by him. Best to get 3-4 clay pot caves as well for them to hide/spawn.

 

[fishboy444]

I don't want them too breed and could a 65 gallon work too?An rts is a red tail shark.Thanks so I should get 1 male and 2 females.Actually I don't have it yet,but that doesn't mean I can't plan.I'm still trying to decide on a 65 or a 75 gallon.

 

[bs6749]

I know that the footprint of a 75g tank is roughly 48" X 18" and that would be better than the assumingly smaller footprint of a 65g tank. A red tailed shark should work fine with those tankmates. A 75g would be better for more bottome dwelling fish unless the footprint is nearly equal and in that case you should consider which tank is a better value for what you want. I always like to go with a larger tank just because they are easier to maintain and allow for more possibilities in the future should I want something different.

You may not want the fish to breed but if THEY want to breed you most likely will encounted problems with the male constantly harassing a single female, that's why it is best to get 2-3 females.

 

[fishboy444]

Thank you!! So I should go with a 75 gallon tank.1 male and 2 females cockatoo cichlids.Can I keep the bolivian rams?How big do they get?I have to have flower pots(#?)

 

[bs6749]

You can do the trio of apistos, a pair of Bolivians, and a pair of keyholes with ease in addition to the red tailed shark. Wild caught Bolivians tend to grow larger than domestics. I would say wilds can get 4" max and that's probably pushing it. Domestics would most likely only get to 3.5" or slightly larger.

As for the flower pot caves they can be the small ~2" pots with a hole cut in the side or you can lay them down without cutting a hole in them. I prefer to cut holes in them with a Dremel or something similar. Make the hole about the size of a dime or slightly larger. Stock at least 1 cave for each apisto. The other fish will ignore the caves for the most part. If you lay one flat the Bolivians may use it as a spawning site but they will lay on the bottom or sides of the pot whereas the apistos spawn on the roofs of the cave interior.

 

[fishboy444]

So I should put at least 5 pots in there(1 pot extra,just in case).Heavily planted with bog wood and sand as a substrate.Cave for the red tail and the zebra danios I don't have to worry about for now.I'll ask my local fish store(lfs) if the bolivians are domestic or not.

 

[bs6749]

The only fish that will need a cave are the apistos. You might be able to get away with 2, one for each female, but the male might like a place to hide as well. Female apistos can be very brutal when they are with fry moving around the tank. If you go with the trio of apistos you should have 2-4 caves. If it is heavily planted as you say then you could get away with 2. It's pretty much a jusdgement thing for you to make as I have no idea what the tank looks like nor how the fish will act once they are in the tank. I'm sure they will have a heightened sense of their surroundings when you first introduce them so having a place to go and hide will help calm them down.

 

[fishboy444]

Thanks.So I think I'm going to play it safe and go with 3 pots.I read in a book that the person had 2 cockatoo dwarf cichlids(1m,1f).He said that having more females could ruin your display.True?False?

 

[bs6749]

Not sure how it would ruin the display. I suppose it's all a matter of opinion and there is no correct answer. Go with trios when it comes to apistos.

 

[fishboy444]

Could all those go in a 65 gallon.Cockatoos and all to live happily?I was thinking about the 75 gal. and then I checked my wallet and I don't think I'll be able to afford it.Could I take out the bolivian rams and go with a 65 gallon?

 

[bs6749]

I looked up the dimensions of a 65g tank and found that it was roughly: 36 7/8 x 19 x 24 5/8. If you take out the Bolivians it would work for sure. I really think that the extra foot in length that a 75g tank would provide is a better option even if you have to wait a bit for it but I'm not going to tell you what to buy, just what I think is a better route. Check Craigslist for some great deals near you on used tanks if you are thinking about a 75g but can't quite afford a new one.

 

[fishboy444]

thanks.I will check craigslist.If I can get a 75 gallon then I won't have to take out the bolivian rams.If I can't then I'll have to take the B rams out.

 

[bs6749]

I would recommend taking out the Bolivians simply because you will have a trio of apistos on one end of the tank and the keyholes most likely on the other. Personally I'd cut the keyholes as they can get pretty big and Bolivian rams would go better in my opinion. Then you could add a medium school of neon/cardinal tetras (18-24) and some hatchetfish (8-10) for the top of the tank. Maybe even a BN pleco for algae control, if not a BN pleco then 5-7 ottos. Just what I'd do if it were my tank.

 

[fishboy444]

Thanks a bunch.I really like keyholes.Could keyholes go with Colombian tetras and tiger barbs in a tank 31"x12"x16"?Also could I fit a horse face loach in there?I don't like hatchetfish.Any other top fish?I like the idea of ottocinclus.

 

[JustOneMore20]

Tiger Barbs are prone to nipping so they might nip your Keyholes' fins. I would skip the Tiger Barbs, especially if you like Keyholes.

I think the Horseface loach would work. Make sure your substrate is fine and not anything that will irritate them, as they like to burrow. I read that they tend to hide more as they mature, so if you want to see the fish often, this probably isn't the one for you.

 

[fishboy444]

I can't skip the tiger barbs because they're already in the tank31"x12"x16".I think I'll go with a 65 gallon with cockatoos,bolivians,shark,Z danios,tetras, ottos and...

Do ottos like to be kept in groups?How many?

 

[bs6749]

Ottos do like to be in groups of at least 5 IMO. You could easily do 10 of them in a 75g.

 

[fishboy444]

Any "easy to care for" top dwelling fish that are smallish?

 

[fishboy444]

Could a flying fox go in there as well as emperor tetras?