Apistogramma cacatuoides

A. cacatuoides do occur in wild, in shallow Amazions waters and flooded rainforest, but does not look like it usually does in pet stores. The 'double red' finnage (like in the photo above) is the result of generation of selective breeding. Many apistogramma species are common in the wild.

If you have information about or footage of this fish in the wild, please reach out to us. 

One of the most colourful small fishes regularly available. In some ways a challenging fish though. First of all: two males in one tank is a no-go. However, because of the 'sneaker male' phenomenon it is often hard to tell before it is too late. I found that it is actually not a bad idea to keep them solitarily, in a small tank, like you would a male betta. They do not swim much, but typically hang out in front of a cave-like structure - which could be as simple as some space under a leaf.
I have been trying to breed these fish for years, without any succes, simply because I never managed to pair off two fish. It is always something: a male posing as a female, a male suddenly dying, a pair showing absolutely no interest in each other, etc. Quite a challenge.