Apistogramma Cacatuoides Lifespan

julzhull

julzhull

Well-Known Member
How long do apisto cacatuoides generally live? I have a pair I bought a little under a year and a half ago. They're probably 2 years. My male won't come out of one of the caves, it's not cave guarding. His breathing seems a bit labored but parameters are fine. Makes me wonder if he's dying from old age.
 
julzhull

julzhull

Well-Known Member
Bob said:
They should live longer, usually around five years.
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That's strange then. I swear I remember hearing they have a shorter lifespan. I'm not sure what's wrong with him then. I'll have to shake him out of the cave tonight for a better look.
 
dwarfpike

dwarfpike

Well-Known Member
Two to four is usually average, depending on the species, though five is not uncommon by any means especially for the larger species like cacatuoides.
 
julzhull

julzhull

Well-Known Member
VickiK said:
Aww. I'm sorry @julzhull
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I'm going through major fish drama right now.

1) this guy not doing well, I'm trying to treat with general cure. 2) my betta has dropsy or swim bladder from constipation. 3) One of my tanks that has always done well has had high nitrates for a few weeks and I can't figure it out. 4) My baby tank has levels spiking (because of all the babies) so I added filtration and am trying to get through that. 5) My young fahaka puffer has taken a liking to nibbling the fins of the angel that was in there (because I didn't have a better place for him) and now we have to move him somewhere else. Ugh.
 
Betty

Betty

Well-Known Member
Staff member
Why do these things always seem to come in waves? Everything goes along fine for a long time and then a series of problems, one after another. It's why I'm so hesitant to move or add any fish to my tanks that have been running for years with no diseases or any other problems. ~knocking on wood

I hope you get things resolved soon. Maybe try increasing the water changes on the baby tank to help bring the nitrate down. There are times that my pleco tank has so many babies that I do daily water changes.
 
julzhull

julzhull

Well-Known Member
Betty said:
Why do these things always seem to come in waves? Everything goes along fine for a long time and then a series of problems, one after another. It's why I'm so hesitant to move or add any fish to my tanks that have been running for years with no diseases or any other problems. ~knocking on wood

I hope you get things resolved soon. Maybe try increasing the water changes on the baby tank to help bring the nitrate down. There are times that my pleco tank has so many babies that I do daily water changes.
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We're at 2 sponge filters and now a HOB that's rated for a 50 gallon in that 40 gallon tank so hopefully that will help. I've got a bunch of baby guppies/plecos in there and a bunch of snails so this was bound to happen. Hopefully the new HOB will help and I'll increase water changes until things settle down. I'm going to start a snail tank and then actively moving them as I see them. I've been leaving them because I want them for my fahaka but they've gotten out of control, plus they take food from the plecos which irritates me.
 
VickiK

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
@julzhull it really is a constant battle, isn't it? Everything is good and there's no algae and no one is eating anyone and no one is sick and then, like @Betty says - BAM. Now it's problem central!

I myself am a huge fan of over-filtration. I have HOBs on all my tanks - with a sponge on the input - and actual separate sponge filters in two of them - the shrimp and the 20Long.

Now that I have found those cute little suction cup air pumps, I may just have a sponge filter in every single tank.
 
julzhull

julzhull

Well-Known Member
My male apisto ended up dying. Treated with general cure and he finally came out of the cave but then he was head down floating at the bottom of the tank for a couple of days and his scales looked a little puffed out. :( Not sure what happened, everyone else in the tank seem fine (female apisto, albino corys, porkchop raspboras).
 
julzhull

julzhull

Well-Known Member
Betty said:
Sorry to hear that he didn't make it. :(
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It's a bummer. He was beautiful. Now I need to find his widow a new boyfriend. I'm going to wait a couple weeks and try to get some more pond snails out of that tank before I pick one up.
 
VickiK

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
julzhull said:
My male apisto ended up dying. Treated with general cure and he finally came out of the cave but then he was head down floating at the bottom of the tank for a couple of days and his scales looked a little puffed out. :( Not sure what happened, everyone else in the tank seem fine (female apisto, albino corys, porkchop raspboras).
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Oh man. I am so sorry. Sometimes it happens. Want a big ass catfish you'll never see? LOL
 
julzhull

julzhull

Well-Known Member
VickiK said:
@julzhull - how they doing?
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I got her a boyfriend although he needs some time to grow out I think. He's half the size of my last male.

In other news I bought a pair of wild blue apistogramma cacatuoides from Aquarium Zen yesterday. They aren't completely blue but the male has a yellowish body with light blue fins. The pair is a little skittish and not showing their colors right now but hopefully they will at some point. He had some others in the shop that were showing their color and they were quite pretty.
 
VickiK

VickiK

Member with a lot to say
julzhull said:
I got her a boyfriend although he needs some time to grow out I think. He's half the size of my last male.

In other news I bought a pair of wild blue apistogramma cacatuoides from Aquarium Zen yesterday. They aren't completely blue but the male has a yellowish body with light blue fins. The pair is a little skittish and not showing their colors right now but hopefully they will at some point. He had some others in the shop that were showing their color and they were quite pretty.
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I need to get another woman for my Threadfin Tetra. I love those little guys and his females two of them have been "gong to live with the turtles" -- Actually not. They've disappeared. I blame the big azz catfish. :-(
 
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