Orange Cockatoo Cichlid

<p>These fish have the name Cockatoo due to the male’s extended rays of the dorsal fin, these first rays are higher than the rest giving it a crested look. Males are silver and have a dark horizontal stripe, their underside is golden brown. Females are yellow and black. There are many different color varieties. The Orangevariety has bright orange dorsal fins. These fish can reach 4 inches in length. To keep these fish in captivity, water pH should be between 6.0 and 7.8 and water temperature should range from 75°F to 81°F. The tank should have a sandy substrate, rocks, plants, floating vegetation, caves and hiding places. They can be kept in community aquariums with other peaceful species that aren’t too large.</p>

<p>This species is carnivorous. In captivity they can be fed with dried foods and with live or frozen foods like brine shrimp and insects.</p>

<p>Males are larger and have extended rays in the dorsal fin while females are yellow and black.</p>

<p>To breed this species in captivity, the breeding tank should have a group of females to just one male, its decoration should include hiding places, caves, bogwood, plants and upturned flowerpots, water pH should be about 7.0 and water temperature should range from 78ºF to 84ºF. The eggs are deposited on the cave’s ceiling while the male guards the territory. The eggs take 3 to 4 days to hatch and the fry take 4 to 6 days to become free swimming.</p>

<p>This species is endemic to the Amazon basin in Brazil and Bolivia. It inhabits shallow, slow-moving waters.</p>

<p>The water in which these fish are packaged is different from the water in the tank, since these fish are extremely sensitive to water conditions the acclimation process is very important. This process should never be rushed. Aquarium lights should be off for at least the first 4 hours of the fish in the new tank and it should not be fed in the first 24h. There are two acclimation methods: Floating Method and the Drip Method.</p> <p>Floating method -  the aquarium lights should be off and lights in the room should be dim, the bag in which the fish is should be placed in the surface of the water to float for about 15 minutes, this allows the water in the bag to adjust to the water in the tank. The bag should then be cut under the knot and the top edge of the bag should be rolled down one inch, then ¼ cup of the aquarium water should be added to the bag, this step should be repeated every 4 minutes until the bag is full, then half the water of the bag should be discarded and the bag should be put to float again and ¼ cup of the aquarium water should be added to the bag every 4 minutes until the bag is full. Afterwards, the Discus can be moved into the aquarium.</p> <p>Drip method – the aquarium lights should be off and lights in the room should be dim, the bag in which the fish is should be placed in the surface of the water to float for about 15 minutes, this allows the water in the bag to adjust to the water in the tank. The bag contents should be poured into a 1 gallon bucket that has never been cleaned with any chemicals, the fish should be enterally submerged. A siphon, using airline tubing, should be set up and a drip line should run from the main aquarium to the bucket. Several loose knots should be tied in the airline tubing to regulate flow. Sucking the end of the airline tube that goes to the bucket will begin a siphon, the flow should be regulated to 2 to 4 drips per second. Once the water in the buckets doubles, half should be discarded and the process should be repeated until it doubles again. Afterwards, the fish can be moved to the aquarium.</p>

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