Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid

The Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid is a beauty native to South America that only occurs in the Rio Ucayali in Peru. There it prefers to inhabit shallow bank zones of small watercourses in the tropical rainforest, which have temperatures between 24 and 28°C and whose floors are typically covered with a thick layer of leaves. Like most Apistogramma species, Apistogramma cacatuoides prefers to stay near the ground between layers of leaves and roots. The best-known breeding forms of the Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid are double or triple red, in which the dorsal, tail and also the anal fins (triple red) have an intense orange-red coloring with a black pattern.

Care in the aquarium

To care for the Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid, a tank with a capacity of at least 150 liters or an edge length of 100cm is required. Since this species is territorial and inhabits very shallow waters in nature, the surface area is significantly more important than the height of the aquarium. For each fish, both male and female, around 25-30cm² of area should be planned as a territory. A well-structured aquarium with dense plants and hardscape such as roots, stone structures and caves also offers opportunities for retreat and helps to define territories. This dwarf cichlid can be kept in pairs or, provided there is enough space, in a harem with one male and several females. Light that is not too bright and a dark substrate also ensure that it feels comfortable. It is possible to socialize the Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid with fish that are not too hectic, such as South American tetras.

Feeding

In nature, dwarf cichlids of the genus Apistogramma feed mainly on small aquatic animals such as insect larvae, other invertebrates or small fish. In the aquarium, the Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid can easily be fed with protein-containing flake and smaller granulate food that does not sink too quickly. However, live and frozen food are particularly popular. A wide range of food types such as white and black mosquito larvae, daphnia, artemia, tubifex or enchytraea are suitable for this.

Sexual characteristics and breeding

Most Apistogramma species show very pronounced sexual dimorphism, so males and females usually differ very clearly from each other. Male Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlids have significantly longer fins than their female counterparts and, when fully grown, with a maximum body length of 9cm, they are significantly larger than females, which can be up to 5cm long. The females, on the other hand, have a slightly yellower body color and shine bright yellow during the breeding season. Propagating the Apistogramma cacatuoides in the aquarium is not particularly difficult as long as its basic needs, such as suitable caves and rather soft water, are met. As cave breeders, these dwarf cichlids lay their eggs on the ceiling of caves or on the underside of plant leaves and look after them together as a pair. The female takes care of the brood, while the male defends his territory and the offspring within it. The young fish hatch after a few days and after less than a week they are already swimming freely. After the yolk sac has been consumed, the little ones can be fed with small live or frozen food, such as newly hatched Artemia nauplii, copepods or Cyclops. They are cared for by their mother for about 4 weeks and shown around the aquarium, which is very interesting to watch.