Caquetaia myersi

[Plec123]

I saw some of these at my lfs a couple months ago and decided to get one for my planted 75. Tankmates are a blue acara and yellow acara, tetras, lots of smaller plecos. I've been feeding a mix of Vibra Bites, frozen mysis shrimp, dried bloodworms, and plant based flakes. This little guy is about 3" TL, smaller than the acaras that measure 4" and 5". He's pretty skittish and while he eats and behaves normally he does get picked on. No lasting damage, he just hides when he gets chased and then resumes his day.

My concern is that as the acaras get bigger I'm sure they'll continue to pick on the myersi and I want to make sure he'll be abke to continue to hold his own. If he does any lip locking I'm sure jaw is gonna get dislocated.

Does anyone else keep these or other basket mouths (...or false basket mouths) with other cichlids? What have your experiences been like?

 

[ryansmith83]

mrrobxc

 

[mrrobxc]

I keep mine with more placid species like geos and angels. Also have pikes which rarely lip lock with other cichlids. I’ve had some lost due to jaws being dislocated. Had it happen with my dominant male in my current group. Also had my large male from a breeding pair of spectabilis lost after lip locking with a Hoplarchus.

I’ve seen others keep them with Ornatum and atromaculatum and not have issues but I’ve opted to keep them as the only heroine/acara type cichlids in a setup. Simply not worth the risk for me.

 

[Plec123]

I keep mine with more placid species like geos and angels. Also have pikes which rarely lip lock with other cichlids. I’ve had some lost due to jaws being dislocated. Had it happen with my dominant male in my current group. Also had my large male from a breeding pair of spectabilis lost after lip locking with a Hoplarchus.

I’ve seen others keep them with Ornatum and atromaculatum and not have issues but I’ve opted to keep them as the only heroine/acara type cichlids in a setup. Simply not worth the risk for me.

Thanks for this. I figured as much. I guess I'm just going to have to pay clise attention and make some tankmate adjustments if necessary. The acaras were there long before the myersi so they'd be the ones to stay... but i am moving next month so maybe theyll all get along better when the tank gets rescaped and everyone has to reestablish their turf.

 

[duanes]

These Caquetaia are the most placid and delicate members of the genus, and do not do well with more aggressive rough and tumble cichlids, like Andinoacara, unless the tank is rather large (over 100 gallons (maybe even 200)).
If put under stress they tend to be disease prone, which eventually can lead to infecting the entire tank.
If it were me, I'd give them their own tank, without other cichlids.

 

[mrrobxc]

These Caquetaia are the most placid and delicate members of the genus, and do not do well with more aggressive rough and tumble cichlids, like Andinoacara, unless the tank is rather large (over 100 gallons (maybe even 200)).
If put under stress they tend to be disease prone, which eventually can lead to infecting the entire tank.
If it were me, I'd give them their own tank, without other cichlids.

Very disease prone.

 

[Plec123]

These Caquetaia are the most placid and delicate members of the genus, and do not do well with more aggressive rough and tumble cichlids, like Andinoacara, unless the tank is rather large (over 100 gallons (maybe even 200)).
If put under stress they tend to be disease prone, which eventually can lead to infecting the entire tank.
If it were me, I'd give them their own tank, without other cichlids.

Thanks for this. It does seem like a delicate fish in personality and behavior alone. I'm moving in the next few weeks and may try to rehome it before taking down the tank and setting it up again. Doesn't seem like a good idea to put the fish through that, I'm worried enough about the tougher species I'm moving as it is.