MEGA Orange Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma cacatuoide) - Tank Bred

About

The MEGA Orange Dwarf Cichlid (Apistogramma cacatuoides) is a captive-selected form of the well-known Cockatoo Dwarf Cichlid, developed to push the natural orange coloration of males to an almost surreal intensity. Where standard cacatuoides show orange accents, this strain saturates the entire dorsal fin, caudal fin, and often the anal fin with deep, warm orange that bleeds partway into the body itself. All set against a blue-violet sheen and the classic horizontal black stripe that runs along the flank. Females are considerably plainer, as is typical for the species, but that contrast actually makes sexing a pair quite easy. Males top out around three inches, females a little shorter, which keeps this fish manageable in modest-sized tanks. Being tank-bred, these fish are generally adaptable and less fussy than wild-caught South American cichlids, making them a reasonable choice even for someone newer to dwarf cichlids. They do show the territorial and cave-spawning behavior typical of the genus, so providing a few hiding spots and visual breaks in the decor goes a long way toward keeping a pair settled. Soft, slightly acidic water suits them best, though tank-bred individuals tend to tolerate a reasonable range without complaint.