TankBud

One species · 3 varieties

Cockatoo cichlid

Apistogramma cacatuoides

FreshwaterFish

Cockatoo cichlid (Apistogramma cacatuoides)
William Kreijkes · CC BY-SA 3.0

Care at a glance

Temperature
72–84°F
22–29°C
pH
6.0–7.5
Adult size
3 in
7.5 cm
Minimum tank
18 gal
70 L
Temperament
Mostly peaceful
Social behavior
Social
Swim level
Middle
Difficulty
Medium
Breeding
Cave spawner · Hard
Rarity
Rare
Family
Cichlidae
Origin
Brazil, Peru

Pick a variety

One setup covers every line on this page: care is the species' care.

Overview

The cockatoo cichlid is a mostly peaceful Apistogramma for a planted community tank. It is best with a little experience.

Did you know

The cockatoo cichlid comes in selectively bred lines such as double red and orange flash, with even more color in the fins. Those tank-bred strains are far more colorful than the wild fish.

Caring for the cockatoo cichlid

Give cockatoo cichlids at least 18 gal (70 L). A planted tank with sand, driftwood and small caves, such as a coconut shell or flowerpot, works well. Plenty of cover is what makes them comfortable.

Aim for soft, slightly acidic water at 72 to 84°F (22 to 29°C) and a pH of 6.0 to 7.5. It eats small invertebrates in the wild, so feed micro pellets and quality flake plus live or frozen daphnia and brine shrimp.

Keep a pair, or one male with two or three females. Give each female her own cave so the male can split his territory. It sits in the lower and middle levels of the tank. It is fine in a calm community but gets defensive when guarding fry.

Males carry the tall, spiky dorsal fin the species is known for, and females are noticeably smaller. It is a cave spawner, and the female guards the eggs and fry inside a sheltered nook. Breeding is hard, though the cockatoo is one of the easier Apistogramma to breed.

Good to know

The cockatoo cichlid, Apistogramma cacatuoides, is a dwarf cichlid in the family Cichlidae.

In the wild

The cockatoo cichlid comes from shallow, slow backwaters in the Amazon basin of Brazil and Peru. It lives over sand and mud among thick plants and leaf litter. The water there is soft, acidic and warm.

Other named lines

Wild cockatoo apistos are gray-yellow; the trade sells line-bred fin-color grades of the same fish.

Triple red
red dorsal, tail and anal fin

Weekly picks

Tank mates

Every variety on this page wants the same water, so one set of picks fits them all. These picks match on water type, temperature, pH, size and temperament.

Check the full mix in the stocking calculator

Common questions

What size tank does a cockatoo cichlid need?

A cockatoo cichlid needs at least 18 gal (70 L). It spends most of its time in the middle.

What temperature and pH does a cockatoo cichlid need?

A cockatoo cichlid is comfortable at 72–84°F (22–29°C) with a pH of 6.0–7.5.

What does a cockatoo cichlid eat?

A cockatoo cichlid eats small invertebrates in the wild. Feed it micro pellets and quality flake, plus live or frozen daphnia and brine shrimp.

How big does a cockatoo cichlid get?

An adult cockatoo cichlid reaches about 3 in (7.5 cm).

How can you tell a male cockatoo cichlid from a female?

Males carry the tall, spiky dorsal fin the species is known for. Females are noticeably smaller.

How does a cockatoo cichlid breed?

A cockatoo cichlid spawns in a cave, and the female guards the eggs and fry inside a sheltered nook. Breeding is hard, though it is one of the easier Apistogramma to breed.

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