Male and female apisto behavour

[Hugo Borjesson]

When i put my "female" cacatoidies in my 20 gallon with the male he first flairs then just non stop darts at her. Is she a he or is it just what they do. I thought about getting a second female for him to dispers his agression. Is it a good idea or what should i do. The "female" i have now could honestly be whatever. Btw "she doesnt attack back. Is that a sigh that he is in fact female or what. I'll probably end up getting a second female just in case of one of you dosent say i shouldnt.

 

[Mike Wise]

1. Females decide when and with whom they will spawn.
2. Polygamous males, like your cacatuoides, are always ready to spawn and display to any female that enters his territory.
3. If the female is not ready/willing to spawn, she will leave his territory if possible (It is probably not possible in a 20 gallon tank).
4. If the female is not ready/willing to spawn - and cannot leave voluntarily - the male will try to drive the female out of his territory and expect a willing female to arrive eventually.
5. If the female cannot leave the male's territory, then aggression increases and there is a good chance the female will be injured or even killed.
6. Adding an additional female may not help if she is not ready/willing to breed with the male.
Finally, each apisto female will try to establish a breeding territory of about 12"/30 cm diameter around a potential spawning site and it needs visual physical boundaries that separate one territory from another. Personally, I would not get another female for a 20 High. As long as the female is not damaged, always hiding, or hovering at the top of the tank I would wait to see what happens.

 

[Hugo Borjesson]

1. Females decide when and with whom they will spawn.
2. Polygamous males, like your cacatuoides, are always ready to spawn and display to any female that enters his territory.
3. If the female is not ready/willing to spawn, she will leave his territory if possible (It is probably not possible in a 20 gallon tank).
4. If the female is not ready/willing to spawn - and cannot leave voluntarily - the male will try to drive the female out of his territory and expect a willing female to arrive eventually.
5. If the female cannot leave the male's territory, then aggression increases and there is a good chance the female will be injured or even killed.
6. Adding an additional female may not help if she is not ready/willing to breed with the male.
Finally, each apisto female will try to establish a breeding territory of about 12"/30 cm diameter around a potential spawning site and it needs visual physical boundaries that separate one territory from another. Personally, I would not get another female for a 20 High. As long as the female is not damaged, always hiding, or hovering at the top of the tank I would wait to see what happens.

Ok thank you, i wont get a second female. I did a diy tank devider so they can se each other but not hurt since i notised some tairs in the females fins. How do i know when she is ready to breed though. Will she get nice and yellow or is that only when she has laid the eggs? Or should i try to put them together every once in a while just tou see how they will react?