Cichlids · Apistogramma
Cockatoo dwarf cichlid
Apistogramma cacatuoides · Streams of the upper Amazon, Peru
Photo: Redspider, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
At a glance
Water temperature
22–29 °C 72–84 °F
pH ≈
5–7.5 soft, acidic water
Adult size ≈
8 cm 3.1 in
Swims ≈
Bottom mostly on the floor and in caves
Keep together ≈
3 or more a shoal feels safe
Current
Calm still or slow water
Food
Meaty foods
Temperament ≈
Territorial
Where it comes from
Home water
Streams of the upper Amazon, Peru
Amazonas
Lives in stream habitat.
The dot is placed on its home rivers, not an exact collecting site. Map: Natural Earth.
Tank mates
Checked against a roomy 300 L planted tank with low flow and plenty of caves. Your own tank may change the answer: try it in Your tanks.
Good together
-
Candy stripe L015
Plecos · 10 cm · bottom -
Zebra L046
Plecos · 8 cm · bottom -
Amano shrimp
Shrimp & snails · 5 cm · bottom -
Boeseman's rainbowfish
Rainbowfish · 10 cm · mid-water -
Bolivian ram
Cichlids · 8 cm · bottom -
Bronze corydoras
Corydoras · 7 cm · bottom -
Butterfly hillstream loach
Loaches · 8 cm · bottom -
Cardinal tetra
Tetras · 4 cm · mid-water
Keep apart
-
Aggressive and will eat the cockatoo dwarf cichlid
-
Need a different pH and will eat the cockatoo dwarf cichlid
-
Will eat the cockatoo dwarf cichlid
In the hobby
Where to find it
No store or breeder we know of has it right now.
Run a store? List the fish you usually have. Breed fish? List your fry.
Tanks with this fish
No shared tanks have this fish yet. Share yours from Your tanks.
From keepers
Notes appear here when a keeper shares a tank with this fish and writes about it.
Questions keepers ask
How big does a Cockatoo dwarf cichlid get?
About 8 cm (3.1 in) as an adult.
What temperature does a Cockatoo dwarf cichlid need?
22–29 °C (72–84 °F).
What pH does a Cockatoo dwarf cichlid need?
pH 5–7.5.
Does a Cockatoo dwarf cichlid need to be kept in a group?
Yes. Keep at least 3.
Is the Cockatoo dwarf cichlid aggressive?
It is territorial. Give it its own cave or space.
What does a Cockatoo dwarf cichlid eat?
Feed meaty foods: frozen bloodworm, brine shrimp and quality sinking pellets.
Where does the Cockatoo dwarf cichlid come from?
Streams of the upper Amazon, Peru.
What fish can live with a Cockatoo dwarf cichlid?
Good tank mates include Candy stripe (L015), Zebra (L046), Amano shrimp, Boeseman's rainbowfish, Bolivian ram.
All the numbers
| Temperature min (°C) | 22 | Sourced |
|---|---|---|
| Temperature max (°C) | 29 | Sourced |
| pH min | 5 | Sourced |
| pH max | 7.5 | Estimate |
| Adult size (cm) | 8 | Estimate |
| Flow | Low | Sourced |
| Habitat | stream | Estimate |
| Smallest happy group | 3 | Estimate |
| Temperament | Territorial | Estimate |
| Diet | Carnivore | Sourced |
| Typical price min (CAD) | 15 | Estimate |
| Typical price max (CAD) | 30 | Estimate |
Some values are estimates from typical hobby ranges and haven't been checked against a source yet.
