I wonder if anyone can help me out. I have a juvenile pair of Apistogramma Cacatuoides. I'm 99% I have a female and a male. The difference between them is pretty apparent. I'm noticing that the female is out and about much more than my male. And whenever the male comes out the female will shake her caudal (Had to Google that) fin at the male and then chase him off. Thankfully I have two tanks so I out the female into the other tank for a couple of days to see if the male would come out. He did, but she's back in that tank with him now as I got myself a pair of MacMasteri' Is this aggression or some sort of courting?
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Unsure on Behaviour - Aggression or Courting?
- Thread starter Aaroon
- Start date
Courting followed by aggression as he didn't give into her advances.
Are you planning on breeding? If so you could have left them together. If not separation was the right decision.
Please keep in mind that domestic breeds of both A. cacatuoides and A. macmasteri are nowerdays of bad genetics and it takes luck to get rid of all of the offspring without months of advertising them everywhere.
Another thing: Both species don't form bonded pairs but usually the male is not involved in raising the fry. Once the eggs are fertilized the males have a bullseye on them and get a lot of the female's aggression. Not always but in most cases.
Are you planning on breeding? If so you could have left them together. If not separation was the right decision.
Please keep in mind that domestic breeds of both A. cacatuoides and A. macmasteri are nowerdays of bad genetics and it takes luck to get rid of all of the offspring without months of advertising them everywhere.
Separate tanks, yes?
Another thing: Both species don't form bonded pairs but usually the male is not involved in raising the fry. Once the eggs are fertilized the males have a bullseye on them and get a lot of the female's aggression. Not always but in most cases.
Hi MacZ,
Thank you for the reply.
I have attached some pictures. First one is what I suspect to be the female. Ans the second (sorry the picture isn't great) is my male. Or at least I think I've attached them. Do let me know if you can't see any
I wouldn't be apposed to them breeding.
The male and female are back in the same tank, and the female has returned to the behaviour I mentioned.
Thank you for the reply.
I have attached some pictures. First one is what I suspect to be the female. Ans the second (sorry the picture isn't great) is my male. Or at least I think I've attached them. Do let me know if you can't see any
I wouldn't be apposed to them breeding.
The male and female are back in the same tank, and the female has returned to the behaviour I mentioned.
Attachments
The female is indeed IDed correctly. The second fish... I have to pass. Can't tell from that picture. The dorsal fin is cut off by the waterline, so the important part isn't visible. Also the caudal is damaged lacking the (not always telltale) shape. The fact the fish is close to the surface is not a good sign.
What size is the tank? (dimensions, not volume, please.)
What size is the tank? (dimensions, not volume, please.)
I'll try get a better picture.
Yeah I noticed the damage and that's what urged me to move the female.
with regards to the fish being close to the surface. I was mid way through a water change. And in an attempt to get some pictures I put a bit of food in. The picture was taken as the fish was eating. Shortly after that picture was taken the female chased him away.
40Wx30Dx30H
Heavily planted with live plants and plenty of little knooks and hiding places.
Yeah I noticed the damage and that's what urged me to move the female.
with regards to the fish being close to the surface. I was mid way through a water change. And in an attempt to get some pictures I put a bit of food in. The picture was taken as the fish was eating. Shortly after that picture was taken the female chased him away.
40Wx30Dx30H
Heavily planted with live plants and plenty of little knooks and hiding places.
What unit?
Care to post a picture? No offence, but your description is a rather nondescript standard. People have tried to sell off two Anubias and a piece of driftwood as heavily planted and structured.
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- Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Rather small tank for A. cacatuoides I'm sorry to say.
My plan was to keep them in while they're small, then move them to my new tank that is currently being scaped.
Appreciate the concern, but I've got it planned.
Are yoh able to offer any help on my original question/thread topic?
As I said above. My plan is to use it whilst they're small and move into a new tank I'm setting up.
Are you able to advise further on the behaviour?
My only advise is separating or moving them to a suitable (size, structure, plants) tank ASAP. The reveal of the tank has shown that it's mostly the crammed space and lack of sight blocks.
You're not aware how dire the situation presents now, it seems.
The fish might seem small, the behaviour says they're mature enough to be territorial. And in a tank like this that means death for one of them.
You're not aware how dire the situation presents now, it seems.
The fish might seem small, the behaviour says they're mature enough to be territorial. And in a tank like this that means death for one of them.
Oh, wow, okay.
That changes things. Thank you for your help. I'm going to return the female and I will endeavour to cycle my large tank.
