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I may have made a mistake and need to act quickly. Maybe.

pbibs

New Member
Messages
15
Hi, I would appreciate a little advice. I have a 200 litre, 100cm over filtered mature tank that I am re-scaping. The water quality is pristine. Current stocking is 15 various cories, 11 cardinals and 1 male and 3 female caca. I purchased some caves and made changes to them by gluing stones in the entrance so only the female could enter. I have had the cories for several years. The duplicareous spawned last year and they grow slowly (4 survived) with no intervention from me.
To my surprise, after only having these caca for 5 days, one of the females has laid eggs in one of the caves and is guarding the entrance with much gusto. One of the other females has turned a lovely lemon colour and is "flirting" with the male at the other end of the tank and is in and out of a different shaped cave.
Now, after being told by my LFS that the cories would come to no harm from the aggression of the females guarding her eggs and then maybe fry, I was horrified to see some posts suggesting that female caca are capable of removing the eyes of the corydoras. I have had male Apistos in the past and they have thrived. The water out of my tap is very soft.

Will my cories be ok ? I know there are no guarantees.

I was thinking of maybe purchasing a 5 gallon tank and placing the small cave in there for now. ( I am aware how to do that with water and media from my main tank)

Or should I return the female cacas and just keep the male ?

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pbibs

New Member
Messages
15
Took half day off work. Just returned from the LFS after taking back the 3 females. Feel better now. I think it was the right decision. Im going to finish scaping the tank and then consider one more male dwarf cichlid. Will do some research on here first.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,201
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
pbibs, I think you did the right thing. Everyone here knows my mantra: "A community tank is not a breeding tank". Not only would your corys be in harms way, but your cardinals would 'pick off' most of the fry. They are really good fry predators.

Yvonne, as for no response, the post was less than a day old. I, like many, only visit once each day.
 

pbibs

New Member
Messages
15
pbibs, I think you did the right thing. Everyone here knows my mantra: "A community tank is not a breeding tank". Not only would your corys be in harms way, but your cardinals would 'pick off' most of the fry. They are really good fry predators.

Yvonne, as for no response, the post was less than a day old. I, like many, only visit once each day.

Thanks Mike. I must say I was a little sad to let them go but my priority is always the welfare of my fishes. When I came on here for the first time and read about the brooding cacas possibly attacking eyes, my mind was taken back to about 5 years ago when a Sterbai of mine lost an eye. At the time I thought it was just an unfortunate accident and maybe she had damaged herself against some driftwood. I am now not so sure. In the same tank was a pair of Golden Rams that regularly spawned on the Anubias leaves. Happily, the Sterbai is now a very large fine example albeit minus the eye.

I am much calmer now sat here looking at the tank. I was getting quite stressed about it :rolleyes:. The male Caca seems nonplussed and in fact is continually swimming aroung at the front of the tank with his fins erect. Lovely little fish and full of personality.

When Ive finished scaping the tank I would be keen to get another dwarf cichlid and would be interested to know your thoughts.
 

yukondog

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
664
Location
N.W. Fl.
Welcome to the sight pbibs, if you feel you did the right thing then it was, for a peacefull apisto I like the Borellii, good luck
 

pbibs

New Member
Messages
15
Welcome to the sight pbibs, if you feel you did the right thing then it was, for a peacefull apisto I like the Borellii, good luck

Thanks for the welcome :)

The Borelli looks beautiful. If the tank was scaped correctly do you think a male could co-exist with the male caca?
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,201
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
In your size tank it might be possible. Just realize that A. cacatuoides is a larger, more territorial and aggressive species than A. borellii. Personally I would suggest a species like A. agassizii.
 

pbibs

New Member
Messages
15
In your size tank it might be possible. Just realize that A. cacatuoides is a larger, more territorial and aggressive species than A. borellii. Personally I would suggest a species like A. agassizii.

Or possibly another Caca ?
 

yukondog

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
664
Location
N.W. Fl.
I agree with Mike, the Borellii I believe would be to peaceful, two male cacas. should work, I kept two in a 40L. for about three mo. and had zero problems, they would flair at each other but other than that they lived peacefully together.
 

pbibs

New Member
Messages
15
I agree with Mike, the Borellii I believe would be to peaceful, two male cacas. should work, I kept two in a 40L. for about three mo. and had zero problems, they would flair at each other but other than that they lived peacefully together.

I think that's the route I will go then. Two male Cacas would be awesome. They're fantastic looking fish.
 

pbibs

New Member
Messages
15
Well, I went to the LFS. Their website said Cacas were in stock but they were not. They did however have agassizii fire red. I plumped for one of them and a couple more potted plants to drop in for now.

I moved a few things around dropped in the potted plants and acclimatised the new fish. Resident Caca swam up to the bag a few times to take a look. I introduced the Agassizii. Caca flared at him and chased a little and "went" for him a couple of times.

The Agassizii has hidden under some driftwood. So lights are off. I have covered the tank with some towels to just let a little daylight in to hopefully allow the newcomer to find his bearings.

Fingers crossed. Im thinking that in two or three hours I will give the Caca a good feeding of some frozen food to slow him down a bit :) I also added another couple of caves.
 

pbibs

New Member
Messages
15
The cacatuiodes has definitely claimed the whole tank. Its getting a little irritating now. Spent a further £70 on plants today. Made no difference. Although the Aga now has lots of places to escape the Caca seems to be hunting him down. I purchased the Caca from the LFS solely because he was patrolling the front of their tank and looking like a boss. Maybe another mistake. He will be going back unless there is a change. I don't see what else I can do. £25 of fish and nearly £180 of plants and décor.
 

pbibs

New Member
Messages
15
What a difference a day makes. Agassizii is no longer cowering in the corner. Caca is no longer relentlessly chasing him and seems to have got bored of the "game". They are actually swimming together with the caca just giving the odd nudge to show whos boss. I'm gobsmacked at the change from yesterday. But very happy.

Is it common for such a change in Apistos behaviour ?
 

pbibs

New Member
Messages
15
Frozen daphnia and white mosquito lava soaked in a little home made garlic juice. The whole tank went wild for it. The Agassizii fed well for the first time. :)
 

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