The genus Apistogramma is one of the most popular genera of cichlids among advanced hobbyists. There are some species, such as A. elizabethae and A. iniridae, that give even the most experienced breeders fits, but there are also some species that are so adaptable that over the last several decades, breeders have been able to fix a number of different color variants.

One of the most spectacular species is called the cockatoo dwarf cichlid (A. cacatuoides) or sometimes just plain “cacatuoides.”