# CPD male/female ratio?



## HUNTER (Sep 4, 2012)

I'm planning to get 10. How many males and females? thanks


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## TekWarren (Oct 6, 2013)

Are your plans to breed them? When I placed a larger group order I did not specify a ratio, probably would have cost more as these where mail order. But we got a pretty good mix and my females, which I would say I have more of than males...are pretty much always full of eggs.


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## HUNTER (Sep 4, 2012)

Not planning on breeding, probably not the easiest with them. I guess if you don't specify, they just send a good mix.


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## Oceangirl (Feb 5, 2013)

If you don't plan on breeding, the males are prettier. Still get a few females to keep the males sparring and in good color.


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## garfieldnfish (Sep 25, 2010)

I breed CPDs and it's pretty easy to do. I found that while they do not "pair up" in the cichlid sense, I always see a female and a male swimming next to one another. I would get an even mix if possible.


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## Grah the great (Jul 3, 2013)

Seriously fish claims that male CPD's are territorial, which would imply the need for more females than males. However, I have yet to hear anyone else make such a claim, so you might want to wait for further advice on this.


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## jrh (Sep 9, 2007)

IME, CPD males are territorial. They don't look like they pair up, so I'd treat them as harem breeders, maybe 1 male to 2 or 3 females. They are like cichlids in that the males court the females and try to get her to his boudoir.

What size tank are you putting these 10 in? And is it heavily planted?

And in case you did know, CPDs seem like they're either hunting, chasing males away, or courting. When they hunt, they dive head first in the moss and swim around like a vet with a flea comb.

I have a wire mesh covered in xmas moss. My intent was to bend it over a rock, but the fit isn't perfect, and the CPD go under the mesh as well.

I'm not saying they'll decimate your shrimplets, I was just surprised as hell at how aggressively they hunt.


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## garfieldnfish (Sep 25, 2010)

I currently have adult CPD groups in 3 different tanks and they all breed. I harvest the eggs, allow them to hatch in small cups and then grow them out in a 10 gal. I currently have over 100 fry and I'm adding more each day. I have not found the males to be overly aggressive or territorial. They chase each other as well as the females but no harm is ever done, nothing like for example tiger barbs.
I have never kept shrimp with CPDs except for gammarus shrimp (meant as food for my black darter tetras and borara maculatas) and they actively hunt them, but a few of the gammarus shrimp always seem to hide out well enough and I routinely find survivors. And they love live grindal worms and daphnia.


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## TekWarren (Oct 6, 2013)

I've not seen my males act territorial.


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## jrh (Sep 9, 2007)

Maybe it's the size of the tank. I have 6 in a 75g moderately planted tank, along with some shrimps, a school of gold ring danios, and some bn pleco fry that are eluding capture. Oh, and a few male chili endlers.


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## Betta132 (Nov 29, 2012)

I've never kept celestial pearl danios, but I've kept zebra danios. Males can be a little persistent... I'd suggest more females than males. 3-4 males and the rest females would work well, I think.


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## TekWarren (Oct 6, 2013)

My CPD are in a 40 with lots of Endlers and no territorial displays or actions. 

Zebra danios have quite a different demeanor, I have some long fin leopards and the characteristics are quite different.


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