15 gallon stocking

[Mia]

Hi there!
I'm new to this forum but I have had a growing interest in apistogrammas for quite a while now! :wink:

I have an empty and cycling 15g (long) tank right now and I would like the advice of people who already own these fish. I have done my research of cours, but I would like more opinions by experienced fish keepers who care about their pets.

First of all, my priority is for the fish to happy, so if they cannot in a 15g then I will forget the idea. :redface:

I plan on getting a sand substrate with live plants, drift wood, and rocks.
What types of apistos would be happy in a 15g? I was thinking of a macmasteri... is it better to stick with only one with that size of tank?

What other fish usually co-exist without much probles with them? Would a betta be a really bad idea? Can I put amano or cherry shrimps with it or is he going to snack on them (I really love my shrimps so if its not 100% safe I won't try it)?

What must I do to change the water ph to suit these fish?
What is the best tank arrangement for them you guys would consider?

 

[Mike Wise]

A 15 gallon tank is very adequate for pairs of most apistos. A pair of A. macmasteri shoud do well in it, provided that it is properly decorated to delineate territorial boundaries and break up side-to-side line of sight in it. Good dither/target fish are 2 - 4 pencilfishes or other top swimming non-schooling species. Schooling fish are generally avoided because so many are also good a picking off small fry. It is hard for a single female apisto to defend her fry from a full school of fish. I'm afraid that I can't recommend small shrimp with macs. A. macmasteri are very good at searching out and eating them. They have even been know to grab snails in their mouths and smash them against rocks and glass walls. They crack the shells and then eat the flesh. Water should stay on the acid side (pH<7.0) and moderately hard if you want to breed them. It would be easier if your water values were around pH 6 and moderately soft, however.

 

[kaoticice]

Could you possibly list some fishes types that are suitable as a dither fish for these apistogramma?
thankx
ed

 

[Mike Wise]

Pencil fish, top dwelling killifish, dwarf/pygmy gouramies come to mind. Some use hatchetfishes, but I feel that a 15 is too small for even a small school of this active top dweller.

 

[Mia]

A 15 gallon tank is very adequate for pairs of most apistos. A pair of A. macmasteri shoud do well in it, provided that it is properly decorated to delineate territorial boundaries and break up side-to-side line of sight in it. Good dither/target fish are 2 - 4 pencilfishes or other top swimming non-schooling species. Schooling fish are generally avoided because so many are also good a picking off small fry. It is hard for a single female apisto to defend her fry from a full school of fish. I'm afraid that I can't recommend small shrimp with macs. A. macmasteri are very good at searching out and eating them. They have even been know to grab snails in their mouths and smash them against rocks and glass walls. They crack the shells and then eat the flesh. Water should stay on the acid side (pH<7.0) and moderately hard if you want to breed them. It would be easier if your water values were around pH 6 and moderately soft, however.

Thanks! I might be better off with just a male or female though if they tend to fight. I don't want them to kill each other either if I happen to fall on a highly agressive one!
No small shrimps hey? How about an over 2inch killer, agressive amano shrimp that hunted and killed all my cherry shrimps when they were molting and bullies around small amano males? :tongue:
How do I soften the ph?
And if I only get 1 macmasteri, what shoaling fish or ok with them?
So if I get a dwarf powder blue gourami your certain they will not kill each other? I get really attached to every fish so I'm not going to be happy if they slaughter each other!

 

[Mike Wise]

Right now it seems that you need to decide about what kind of aquarium you really want: a breeding tank or a community tank. A 15 gallon tank usually can't be both. If the aquarium is properly decorated, with many caves & set up so the apistos cannot see across the entire length of the aquarium, you should be OK with a pair. If you only decide on 1 apisto, then almost any small school of schooling fish will be fine. Macs generally are not aggressive to other species unless they enter their territory: the bottom 6"/15cm of the tank. A Dwarf Gourami might be mistaken for another A. macmasteri. They have the same general shape and the Powder Blue similar color. You might be better off with Pygmy or Liccorice Gouramies. Your 'rogue' 2" Amano Shrimp probably doesn't have anything to worry about - unless he is discoverd while molting. Then he is food.

 

[Mia]

Right now it seems that you need to decide about what kind of aquarium you really want: a breeding tank or a community tank. A 15 gallon tank usually can't be both. If the aquarium is properly decorated, with many caves & set up so the apistos cannot see across the entire length of the aquarium, you should be OK with a pair. If you only decide on 1 apisto, then almost any small school of schooling fish will be fine. Macs generally are not aggressive to other species unless they enter their territory: the bottom 6"/15cm of the tank. A Dwarf Gourami might be mistaken for another A. macmasteri. They have the same general shape and the Powder Blue similar color. You might be better off with Pygmy or Liccorice Gouramies. Your 'rogue' 2" Amano Shrimp probably doesn't have anything to worry about - unless he is discoverd while molting. Then he is food.

I don't want a breeding tank, I would not know what to do with the fries if my fish reproduce.