Dwarf Cichlid Breeding.?

Question

Has anyone bred cockatoo dwarf cichlid? I know all about them, but if someone else has bred them, i'd like to hear about your set up and water conditions.

Answer 1

Yep, I had a breeding colony of them in a 55 gallon tank for several years before giving them to a fellow club member that wanted to try his hand at breeding them. (yes, they did keep breeding for him too)

I had a 55 gallon tank with quite a few plants, several pieces of slate that were covered in places with broken flower pots. I also had a fair sized piece of driftwood with a large hollow end in the tank. The temperature stayed about 79-80F and the pH was at 6.8-7.0 The hardness was in the 7dGH and 4dKH range. I ran 2 HOT power filters, fairly low flow but enough filteration for the 55 total and one large sponge filter.

I kept 7 fish in the tank, 3 males and 4 females. I'm not sure if I had 2 pair breeding or if one male had a small harem. Two for the males looked to similar to tell apart and I could never be quite sure. I bought 8 but one died for unknown reasons within 2 days of my getting them.

I bought them as 6 month old young adults and they began to breed after I had them about 3 months, so they were about 9 months at first spawn. They then started breeding like clock work every 4 weeks. Either one male or two, I'm not sure, but always the same two females. One each time so about 8 weeks in between spawnings for each female.

I fed flake food in the morning and a frozen or live food in the evening. They really liked both frozen and live bloodworms, but I fed brine shrimp, frozen mosquito larvae, blackworms, and maggots on a kind of rotating basis.

Hope that helps and good luck with them, they are really great looking fish and one that will sell very well in pet shops.

MM

Answer 2

Mixin cichlids of any types may be of challenge. every physique who properties large and small cichlids are arranged to look after this thought. i've got had Apistogramma and Krabinsis in community aquariums. the two are relaxing fish and extremely captivating. I maximum possibly would set a 20 gallon long up with a hollow log or rock for the variety new dwarf. Apistogramma may be shy to commence with taking some days to come back out. Krabinsis get straight away advise whilst breeding and can wreak havock in a 20 gallon community. i've got faith you will possibly be severe-high quality. Apistogramma and Ram is oftentimes a sincitive fish and require secure water peramiters and sturdy to stunning water circumstances. i've got faith you're able to do it in spite of the indisputable fact that! purely fastened the decore with hidding places. vegetation (plastic or rather), purely some that bypass to the actual of the water. A rock or to for hidding, and in line with risk a cave to call residing. have exciting!

Answer 3

Before I continue with your question I have not seen any dwarf cichlids that are called cockatoo. There are five that I have seen.

Agassiz Dwarf cichlid[Apistogramma Agassizi]
Size 3 inches and breeds at 2 inches.

Sex difference;Male is larger than female and has longer more pointed anal..caudal..dorsal fins.

Colouration; Yellow brown. The back is dark purple with a brilliant sheen. There is a dark brown line that runs from the eye to tail.


Ortmans Dwarf Cichlid[Apistogramma Ortmanni]

Size; 3 inches and breeds at 2 inches.

Water temperature; 75-80.

Sex difference;male has more longer and pointed dorsal and anal fins.

Colouration; Brownish red with yellow undersides.


Yellow Dwarf Cichlid[Apistogramma Pertense]

Size; 2 inches and breeds at 2 inches.

Water temperature; 70-85.

Sex difference; Male has much more colour and has longer and pointed fins.

Colouration; Variable that has a checkerboard pattern.


Ramirez Dwarf Cichlid[Apistogramma Ramirezi]

Size; 3 inches and breeds at 2 inches.

Water temperature; 72-85 but optimum breeding temperature is 78f.

Sex difference; Male shows longer rays on the first part of his dorsal fin.

Colouration; Golden yellow with a big dark spot on their sides and a dark line running below their eyes.

I have heard about this type and that they will breed in softer water. They are choosy but will pair off and they can be conditioned on small daphnia. The female is devoted to her babies but if her mate dies....she will pine over him and may die herself..