Apistogramma Cacactuoides

[andy]

Just setting up a 20 gallon just for breeding Red Cockatoo Cichlids.

Sandy substrate,
Heavily planted with low light plants (Crypts, Anubias etc)
Bogwood
50-50 rain water-tap water
A few caves...small clay plant pots, slate etc

My LFS has some beauties in store for £20/pair. Ive read that it should be 1 male to 2 females but not sure they would split.

Anyone kept them and care to offer any advice?

 

[mort]

The key to happy apistogramma seems to be a jungle style, very heavily planted tank. The more plants you have the more likely you are to have harmony and that's important if you want multiple fish.
They are a polygamous species but personally I would only do a pair unless it's a very long 20 gallon. You may be alright with multiple breaks in the line of sight but I'd be more worried about a dominant female bullying the other female than the male being aggressive. If you only have the pair then they have plenty of space to avoid each other if they aren't wanting to breed and you also have space for so dither fish to get out of the way if they have fry.

 

[Courtneybst]

You may be alright with multiple breaks in the line of sight but I'd be more worried about a dominant female bullying the other female than the male being aggressive

So true. I've kept two males in a 120cm tank with a very thick jungle and it still wasn't enough space for the both of them. One would relentlessly chase the other (and they were brothers 🥲). They were macmasteri but I would think the same applies for cacatouides.

But yes to as much plant mass as possible. Was able to get a pair to successfully breed in a community tank, only because of this really.