Cockatoo cichlids???

[Apistohead]

If they breed will that put my other fish in harms way? Also if they breed will my other fish eat there fry? Bc I really don't want any breeding!

The apiarist will breed. They will defend a small area and if the other fish get the fry they are lucky. Your other fish should be ok as long as they don't get to close to mom.

I have a 90 gallon,

4 Cacatuoides
2 agassizii
10 neon terra
3 dwarf puffers
6 bloodfin terra
4 rainbow threadfins
4 guppys

No deaths so far.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

A fish store near supposedly has cockatoos but they look not very colorful. Almost like a brown Green with stripe. Are these females or what?

 

[librarygirl]

Thank you both for all of the great advise!!!! I have been so back and forth on what I want my stock to be its crazy!!!! But I think that this will be my final stock.

6 zebra danios
5 Cory's
6 furcata rainbows
2 boesmi rainbows
1 cockatoo cichlid

I'm probably not going to take the chance with my guppies!! They will mist likely be rehomed before I get the apisto.

The Furcatas would probably be ok....I had spotted blue eyes in a 40 gal and they are very active fish; a 30 gal may be pushing it but may be doable. I wouldn't do boesmani's in a 30 gal though.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

A fish store near supposedly has cockatoos but they look not very colorful. Almost like a brown Green with stripe. Are these females or what?

What did the tails look like? That's probably the most reliable way to sex Apistos. Males have a variety of tail patterns (spade for Agassizzi, lyre for Gibbiceps and Cacatoides) while the females almost always have a standard rounded tail.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

I didn't really look. Would they color up once in a nice tank?

 

[kmny34]

The apiarist will breed. They will defend a small area and if the other fish get the fry they are lucky. Your other fish should be ok as long as they don't get to close to mom.

I have a 90 gallon,

4 Cacatuoides
2 agassizii
10 neon terra
3 dwarf puffers
6 bloodfin terra
4 rainbow threadfins
4 guppys

No deaths so far.

If I get a pair of agazzizii's (1 male and 1 female) and they breed, should I get a breeding box? If I do, how exactly do they work?

 

[kmny34]

The Furcatas would probably be ok....I had spotted blue eyes in a 40 gal and they are very active fish; a 30 gal may be pushing it but may be doable. I wouldn't do boesmani's in a 30 gal though.

Yea I think I'm going pass on the boesmani rainbows. I'm gonna probably get a honey gourami instead!

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

I didn't really look. Would they color up once in a nice tank?

More likely than not. Being in a tank with other males, usually one will be pretty and the others will be kind of drab (even if they are males). Separating them up with give the a chance to color up.

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

If I get a pair of agazzizii's (1 male and 1 female) and they breed, should I get a breeding box? If I do, how exactly do they work?

Contrary to what is said, just because you have one male and one female does not mean breeding is imminent. I had a male and female Apisto Gibbiceps and the male ended up harassing the female to death. My friend has a Macmasteri trio and they have laid eggs, but none have hatched.

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

See not a single one was remotely colored. And they all were just kinda hiding laying on the ground

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

See not a single one was remotely colored. And they all were just kinda hiding laying on the ground

Then I probably wouldn't buy those ones. The red and black on the fins should always be visible.

 

[Apistohead]

Baby Cacatuoides.

 

[Apistohead]

Female Cacatuoides are very drab and yellow. Like...very little colour.



Males




Male and female

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Alright they were super dark. Is this normal? And the lyre tail is the best way to check a male?

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Alright they were super dark. Is this normal? And the lyre tail is the best way to check a male?

With Cacatoides, just check for the colorful fins and the lyretail for a male. They are pretty easy to sex good luck!

 

[Aquatic_Adam]

Alright they were super dark. Is this normal? And the lyre tail is the best way to check a male?

Forgot to add that you should also look for long front spines on the dorsal fin (giving them their typical Mohawk looking appearance).

 

[TheCommunityCichlid]

Alright in that case I'm pretty sure all they had were females