nitram79

Hey all,

I have a male cacatuoides that I know is 100% healthy, as all my other fish are, and he's one of the biggest in my tank and no one hassles him and he was fine last night and everyone is fine now, exceprt him .
Well i got home this arvo and i couldnt find him.usually he's always out when im around cause i give em food and play around with him with my finger and he's one of the leaders of the tank. but he is hiding in the back half of my sunken ship. he apparently came out when my mum fed the fish frozen brine shrimp but then went back into the castle.
i have quite suitble females in the tank with him. iwas going to start a breeding tank with him im and his girls. but now he has me really freaked out. wiht this behaviuor.
im praying this has something to do with breeding....
do the males look after eggs when they are laid or the females? i'm praying to god he is just gaurding eggs, otherwise i dont know...

CHoffman

Here is a link about them. I've never owned them so I can't offer any advice on them. Hopefully another member with some knowledge on them will come along....

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/article...acatuoides.php

djbrist

When my pair had eggs, I didn't notice the male paying as much attention to them as tne female, she was "nervously" keeping all away, incl. dad. After the fry hatched dad didn't seem too involved with the brood, but female was mouthing them all the time and keeping them where she wanted. Then after a couple weeks she beat him up badly and sadly he did not make it. She watched over the brood intensely and soon they were venturing off by themselves. This is when i should have removed her, she gobbled up prob half the fry. I had a dozen to feed and they grew, took all but one to LPS, and my lil guy is starting to show some color.

Here's link to my thread

As to why he 's in hiding? Maybe you have babies/eggs already and he's been beaten? Or maybe sick?... But my male didn't seem to be needed much after his duty, and in the future I will let them breed in a seperate prepared tank and remove him as soon as possible. Just my experience, hope others can share too.

Dave

nitram79

Thanks for your replies,

I have 2 females in there, plus 3 other kind of apisto girls. the only thing that i know may have caused something, was that i left the filter off for a day accidently. none of the fish looked affected by it, but the male went into hiding on this day. i dont know if it is related but i hope not. he's still in there now hiding. will see how he goes i guess.