Tropical Fish Hobbyist - October 2010

Q&Afreshwater

Send your questions about the
freshwater side of the aquarium
hobby to “Q&A,” T.F.H. Publications,
P.O. Box 427, Neptune, NJ 07754,
or submit via e-mail to editor@tfh.
com. For answers to more time-
sensitive questions, opinions on your
setup, or just to converse with like-
minded members of the aquarium
community, please visit the TFH
Forum at forums.tfhmagazine.com.
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question?

Cockatoo Cichlid

I’m curious if you could give me any information on Apistogramma cacatuoides. I

cannot find much, and the people at my local aquarium store sell them but don’t know anything about them. All I know is that they are freshwater fish and sometimes referred to as dwarf cichlids. I think they are beautiful fish and would love to keep them in my 50-gallon tank, but I want to know about them before I introduce them. There is currently nothing in the tank. I just set it up a few weeks ago, and I’m letting it run. Can you help?

Bryan Gruenwald via email

In my opinion, Apistogramma cacatuoides, commonly called the cockatoo cichlid, would be a great choice for your 50-gallon aquarium. Hailing from the Amazon River Basin in South America, A. cacatuoides is one of the least demanding apistos to keep and breed. They tolerate a relatively broad range of pH and dH values—anywhere from 6.0 to 8.0 and 5 to 19, respectively. But if you plan to breed them, you should strive to provide soft, acidic conditions. The water temperature for this species should be kept in the range of about 75° to 80°F.

The males reach somewhere between 3 and 3½ inches, and the females tend to be smaller. Males are also much more colorful and are further distinguished by having several significantly elongated dorsal spines, which are somewhat reminiscent of a cockatoo’s crest—hence, the name. Also, many color variants of this species are available on the market.

A somewhat skittish fish, A. cacatuoides may behave more boldly when small dither fish such as neon tetras are present— though it’s worth noting that the dither fish

Q
A

may be harassed when the cockatoos are breeding. Ample hiding places in the form of heavy plantings, driftwood, and rocks will also make this species feel more secure and at home.

If breeding is your aim, as I mentioned, you’ll want your water chemistry to lean more toward the soft, acidic end of the range. You’ll also need to provide numerous caves in which these cave spawners can lay their eggs. Overturned clay pots with an opening cut in the lip work well for this purpose. A. cacatuoides is a harem breeder, so it’s best to keep them in a ratio of one male to several females. The eggs, which are typically laid and fertilized on the ceiling of a cave, usually hatch within three to four days, and the fry are free-swimming in about a week. At that point the fry are large enough to eat brine shrimp nauplii as their first food.

Goldfish Care
Requirements

First off, I love your magazine!
I’ve been a hobbyist for at least
I want to know about water conditions.
What’s the preferred pH range for a
goldfish? Do they prefer soft or hard water?
No one seems to touch this area. They all
say the obvious: “water changes.”
I plan to set up either my 10-gallon or
20-gallon long tank just for goldfish. I’m