If breeding is to be attempted in a community aquarium, fast-swimming fish should be avoided as they will poach the fry from the female A. Small aquaria (less than 120 litres) should be avoided if more than a single pair is to be kept, as a female will protect an area of approximately 30 centimeters in radius. If the dominant male then dies, this submissive male will then develop the full finnage. He will "pretend" to be a female and take any opportunities presented to mate with willing females. Care Level : Medium, since you need a well established tank for them. Common Names : Cockatoo Cichlid, Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid. Due to the aggressive, territorial nature of the males, a submissive male will not develop the full "cockatoo" finnage nor the full male coloration. Scientific Name : Apistogramma cacatuoides. One of the more interesting traits of Apistogramma cacatuoides is that of "sneaker" males. She takes care of the eggs by herself, while the male guards the territory. The female places her eggs inside the roof of a cavity or underneath a leaf. The bottom of these waters is covered with leaves that are used by the fish for hiding. The fish prefer a water temperature between 24 and 28 ☌. The cockatoo dwarf cichlid is found in the Amazon River basin, in tributaries of the Ucayali, Amazon and Solimões rivers from the Pachitea River to Tabatinga in Peru and Colombia where it lives in small shallow streams or lagoon-like waters in the rain forest. Both sexes have a dark line leading from the eye to the bottom of the gill flap. Because of selective breeding the colors are now much more pronounced. There are several color forms which naturally occur in the wild these include blues, yellows and some reds. In addition, she lacks the elongated dorsal rays of the male and her ventral fins show a black leading edge. Her background color is a pale yellow, but this will become vibrant when mating or brood protecting. In color, the female is quite dull but with a clear black line running along her flanks. The leading 3 or 4 hard rays are elongated, and the ventral fins are clear. The male is more colorful than the female, usually with red/orange dorsal and caudal fins. The body shape is long and of middle height and the mouth is rather big with thick lips. The female is considerably smaller, reaching only 5 centimetres. Apistogrammas, also known as apistos or dwarf cichlids, enchant aquarists with their vibrant colors and curious personalities. The male cockatoo dwarf cichlid reaches a body length of 8 centimetres. The adult male is twice the size of the adult female
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