# Apistogramma cacatuoides - yes or no?



## punky (Feb 10, 2007)

I intend to keep apistogramma cactuoides in my 57g planted with a shoal of rummy nose tetras, 2 dwarf neon blue gouramis, amano shrimps and nerite snails. Any recommendations whether I should keep it or not in this tank? Also is the fish sensitive to CO2?

Thanks.


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## argblarg (Aug 10, 2006)

I have mine in a 75g planted w/ CO2 and they breed every 2 weeks like clockwork. There are plenty of tetras, some amanos (they do eat RCS for sure), celestial danios. Seem to be peacefully coexisting, but when there were a few other apistos in there with them and wigglers, there was a big war going on constantly.


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## punky (Feb 10, 2007)

I assume they are not sensitive to CO2 then. I am only worried about eating shrimps. It would be an expensive meal since amanos do not breed.


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## EahInMass (Aug 29, 2006)

I had a pair in with glass and amano shrimp and they didn't bother them at all. My community tank also housed rummynoses which were only harrassed when the pair bred and the rummynoses were looking to snack. My concern would be about how they would act with the gouramis since they are quite territorial.


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## siliconcarbide (Mar 8, 2006)

I bought a three some and got them last Tuesday. My tank has rummy nose tetras, julii corys, green neons, and amano shrimp. The fish pay no attention to the tank mates and have adjusted rather well. I think that they will be even nicer when they get old enough to breed. They seem to have a lot of personality. So far, so good.


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## hooha (Apr 21, 2005)

Amanos should be fine with Apistos, but smaller shrimp like cherries and the like will likely end up missing over time.
They are not overly sensitive to CO2, so if you have your levels stable for other fish they should do fine. Territorial pissings once they pair off are likely to occur.


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## Angry the Clown (Aug 26, 2006)

Would there be an issue with putting them with other Apistos, like a pair or two of GBR's in a heavily planted 75g? I have been toying with the idea of getting a pair of the caca's, but don't want huge problems by mixing Apisto species in the same tank.


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## hooha (Apr 21, 2005)

a 75 gallon should be enough room for 2 or 3 pair to make their own territories....


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## Left C (Jun 14, 2005)

Angry the Clown said:


> Would there be an issue with putting them with other Apistos, like a pair or two of GBR's in a heavily planted 75g? I have been toying with the idea of getting a pair of the caca's, but don't want huge problems by mixing Apisto species in the same tank.


I had a threesome of _A. cacatuoides_ 'Orange Flash' in a heavily planted tank. I added a threesome of _A.agassizii_ and a threesome of _A. borellii_ 'Opal'. There was a pair of breeding Rams, a school of Red Phantom tetras and a school of Glow Light tetras plus otos, dwarf cories, Amano shrimp and a rubber lip pleco in the tank. The male cockatoo killed all the other Apistos. He never bothered any of the other fish or shrimp. It was odd, but he never bothered the rams. He was always laid back after that. It was a bad idea to mix all those Apistos. Then the cockatoos started breeding like clockwork.


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## Angry the Clown (Aug 26, 2006)

Left C said:


> I had a threesome of _A. cacatuoides_ 'Orange Flash' in a heavily planted tank. I added a threesome of _A.agassizii_ and a threesome of _A. borellii_ 'Opal'. There was a pair of breeding Rams, a school of Red Phantom tetras and a school of Glow Light tetras plus otos, dwarf cories, Amano shrimp and a rubber lip pleco in the tank. The male cockatoo killed all the other Apistos. He never bothered any of the other fish or shrimp. It was odd, but he never bothered the rams. He was always laid back after that. It was a bad idea to mix all those Apistos. Then the cockatoos started breeding like clockwork.


Perhaps it may be best to wait until I have my 20 gal tank up and running before making any hasty decisions on getting additional Apistos species. Thanks for letting us know of your experiences. The last thing I would want to do is get my blue rams killed. Besides, I have pretty hard water, and I have no intention of beginning a softening regime at this time.


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## IndianaSam (Mar 25, 2005)

hooha said:


> a 75 gallon should be enough room for 2 or 3 pair to make their own territories....


In a 75g, with cacatuoides, you should get 1 male and 5 or 6 females. Since cacatuoides is a harem breeder this will yield very interesting behavior. Also, since the male's territories are 3'x3' in the wild, even a 75g is too small for two males.

Sam


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