Apistogramma tankmate for A. macmasteri

[apisto2024]

Currently have a blackwater tank (30 x 18 x 18) with a resident A. macmasteri pair. There are also some Corydoras here but planning to remove them because they make the tank look too busy. The top/surface column has several hatchefishes and cardinal tetras.

Now, should I remove the Cory cats, the bottom will look barren. Thinking about adding a fancy pair of agassizii or elizabethae.

 

[anewbie]

If you add a pair of whatever (pair implies m/f); there will be a war between them and the a. mac and someone will likely be kicked out (as in dead). I find it hard to imagine a tank of that size would be large enough

 

[apisto2024]

If you add a pair of whatever (pair implies m/f); there will be a war between them and the a. mac and someone will likely be kicked out (as in dead). I find it hard to imagine a tank of that size would be large enough

what if another male of a different species? But wouldnt that be too cruel to only have a single sex of another species? They would be lonely!

 

[anewbie]

what if another male of a different species? But wouldnt that be too cruel to only have a single sex of another species? They would be lonely!

Fishes don't get lonely - at least in the human sense. Some fishes require groups (schooling fishes) because that is how they feel safe and other fishes require groups for social reasons (boita loaches); but most dwarf cichild at adult age do not fall into those category. If the mac are a pair they will behave aggressively towards another male cichild. So consider that if you add another species male. A single male mac would likely be more acceptable of a single male elizabeth but there are never guarantees.

 

[apisto2024]

Fishes don't get lonely - at least in the human sense. Some fishes require groups (schooling fishes) because that is how they feel safe and other fishes require groups for social reasons (boita loaches); but most dwarf cichild at adult age do not fall into those category. If the mac are a pair they will behave aggressively towards another male cichild. So consider that if you add another species male. A single male mac would likely be more acceptable of a single male elizabeth but there are never guarantees.

Im looking for other small cichlids or any other fish that is not hyper active (I kinda like the way how Apistogramma swims). Sterbai just feels to hyperactive. Certain times of the day i call the witching hour they just race back and forth and at times they sit quiet after running out of energy.

 

[anewbie]

You don't want a bottom fish with the macs down there; but you could try a nice rasbora or one of the smaller tetra like ember or green neon. Conversely pencil fishes are often recommended. You do not want any of the larger tetra like cardinal or serape if you want to raise frys - if you don't care about frys then those are options.

 

[MacZ]

but you could try a nice rasbora or one of the smaller tetra like ember or green neon. Conversely pencil fishes are often recommended.

Shouldn't be added at too small size, though. You often see these species at so small sale sizes they could end up as live food.

Im looking for other small cichlids or any other fish that is not hyper active (I kinda like the way how Apistogramma swims). Sterbai just feels to hyperactive. Certain times of the day i call the witching hour they just race back and forth and at times they sit quiet after running out of energy.

Then all you need is a single dwarf cichlid and some rather slow moving shoaling fish above.

what if another male of a different species? But wouldnt that be too cruel to only have a single sex of another species? They would be lonely!

The fish wouldn't be lonely for long, the others will likely make sushi of it. The tank is definitely too small to combine different species of dwarf cichlid. And there will be more than enough aggression between the A. macmasteri. Either when the female gets into breeding mode and starts terrorizing the whole tank including the male or if she won't over a longer period of time, then he might chase her to death. Just as a heads up.

And as @anewbie already said, no, lonelyness is not a problem in territorial fish. Yes, the fish will not experience social behaviour, true, but that can be balanced out with enrichment: High diversity in live foods, regular addition of new leaf litter, moving around some wood (but that only concerns fish kept alone).

 

[Mike Wise]

What others write makes sense. You need to ask yourself what it is that you want: a tank with a pair that can breed or a community tank. In a tank your size the two almost always are incompatible.