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Viejita Red or cacatuoides?

SKAVENCLOWNLOACH

New Member
Messages
8
Hey first time posting here,
I have a 29g tank set up that I want to keep apistos and pencil fish.
Im new to apistos but not new to fish keeping and have a few questions ,my store has a few species but I like these two.
I was thinking 2 pairs or trio 1m and 2f of the same species
What is the ideal number to get if im hoping for a breeding pair?
Is there any difference in difficulty to breed between viejita and cacatuoides?
Any tips are welcome!
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
What is the ideal number to get if im hoping for a breeding pair?
A pair. In a 29 gallon there is not enough room for a trio, not to mention two pairs. And even with a pair you will have to have good structure, so the fish can evade each other if necessary. For breeding purposes I would try and have a second tank (10gallon) cycled and running so the fish can be separated if aggression is too much.

Is there any difference in difficulty to breed between viejita and cacatuoides?
As you call them Viejita Red in the Thread title, you likely mean the domestic strain of A. macmasteri that goes by that name. Somebody thought it would be a great idea and yield better prices to call that strain viejita, although A. macmasteri is a separate species. Real Viejita are rare and depending on where you live also expensive. Likely you are also eyeballing a domestic strain of A. cacatuoides, so both should be breeding readily. More a question of when, not if.
 

anewbie

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,365
I have never owned Macmasteri or Vijita; but i have owned cacatuoides and did not appreciate them and would not own them again. i have been far more pleased with borelli, hongsloi and nijjensi (though the nijennsi is more visual than behavior). Take this with a grain of salt as people often note that I am not the most astute on such matters.
 

SKAVENCLOWNLOACH

New Member
Messages
8
A pair. In a 29 gallon there is not enough room for a trio, not to mention two pairs. And even with a pair you will have to have good structure, so the fish can evade each other if necessary. For breeding purposes I would try and have a second tank (10gallon) cycled and running so the fish can be separated if aggression is too much.


As you call them Viejita Red in the Thread title, you likely mean the domestic strain of A. macmasteri that goes by that name. Somebody thought it would be a great idea and yield better prices to call that strain viejita, although A. macmasteri is a separate species. Real Viejita are rare and depending on where you live also expensive. Likely you are also eyeballing a domestic strain of A. cacatuoides, so both should be breeding readily. More a question of when, not if.
Thanks for the answer.
ill go for one pair then , I have lots of plants and a big driftwood that cuts line of sight on the bottom from one side to the other and 2 caves on each side with sand as substrate. Is there diffrence in aggression between species? I really want to avoid splitting them up unless I really have to. In the store they have cacatuoides ,hongsloi ,panduro ,agassizii and viejita/macmasteri.

I did not know that about viejita but in the store they are much smaller and more expensive than the othet species. I will take photos next time when I go there.
 

SKAVENCLOWNLOACH

New Member
Messages
8
I have never owned Macmasteri or Vijita; but i have owned cacatuoides and did not appreciate them and would not own them again. i have been far more pleased with borelli, hongsloi and nijjensi (though the nijennsi is more visual than behavior). Take this with a grain of salt as people often note that I am not the most astute on such matters.
What was it about cacatuoides you did not like?
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
Thanks for the answer.
ill go for one pair then , I have lots of plants and a big driftwood that cuts line of sight on the bottom from one side to the other and 2 caves on each side with sand as substrate. Is there diffrence in aggression between species? I really want to avoid splitting them up unless I really have to. In the store they have cacatuoides ,hongsloi ,panduro ,agassizii and viejita/macmasteri.
I have kept A. ortegai and A. hongsloi, for A. panduro I have some first hand experience but it was not my tank, just cared for it for a while. Albeit my tank is also quite small I can say A. hongsloi are relatively docile but if the females get in breeding mode half the tank will be guarded with maximum force even against the male.
Panduro seemed to show heavy female vs female aggression, while the male was a bit of an odd one out. Neither chasing nor being chased.

I did not know that about viejita but in the store they are much smaller and more expensive than the othet species. I will take photos next time when I go there.
It's often used to push up the price, sadly.
 

anewbie

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,365
What was it about cacatuoides you did not like?
Their behavior did not interest me. The male lumbers around doing not too much; the female is a typical female. My hongsloi female is not too bad when breeding and the male simply moves away a bit from her and everyone is happy (they are in a 29 with some sterbai). Most people suggest not keeping cory with the fish esp if you expect to raise the frys. My female can successfully guard the eggs and the cory just stay away from her.
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The nijjensi was a while ago - i had 1m 1f. I vaguely remember the male/female getting along fine even when laying eggs. My water is not suitable for hatching their eggs so they never hatched but they would exist for 3 or 4 days without issue.
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I generally prefer m:f bonding pairs species as then both the male and female will be more cooperative when laying eggs.
 

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