Would they kill?

[Mettle]

Would a pair of A. cacatuoides kill fish such as guppies, dwarf gouramis, platies or cories? Obvious reason is yes I have a tank with those fish and was wondering if the pair could co-exist with any of them... It would be an odd ball tank, I know, but is it doable? Or is it certain death?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Apistt_ed]

greetings mettle,


well, to answer your question, YES IT would be fine to add A. cacatuoides to your tank. Guppies aren't, dwarf gouramis, platys, and corys are all fine company for a pair of cacatuoides. they wouldn't kill your fish, maybe harass them a little, but shouldn't be a problem.

 

[Mettle]

Sorry, didn't quite understand that... No guppies then?

 

[Mike Wise]

As long as the fish do not enter the cacatuoides territory they will not be bothered, not even guppies. Unfortunately most tanks are relatively small & the fish do wander. I had a female cacatuoides kill two Flame/Von Rio Tetras that just couldn't keep their noses away from the entrance to her spawning cave. Of the fish that you list, the guppies are the most suseptable to being killed by your cichlids. They are small & rather slow. How big is your community tank?

 

[Mettle]

It could be either 10 gallons or a 20 gallon long.

Would a pair of cacatuoides do alright with a small school of black phantom tetras in a 10 gallon?

Just trying to figure out my options here.

 

[Mike Wise]

Depending on how the tank is decorated, the cacatuoides pair will breed in a 10 - if the male does not kill the female if she isn't ready to breed or the female kills the male after they breed & he cannot leave the area of the breeding cave - but the Phantoms will pick off most of the fry & the female will kill them if she can get to them. I'll say it again, a community tank is not a breeding tank. Don't expect to succeed at breeding in a community tank.