Delurking and new to Apistos

[irishspy]

Hi all,

I'm a long-time lurker here finally revealing myself because I'm about to set up a new tank. I've been out of the hobby for many years, but I can't resist its siren call anymore. I'm fascinated by dwarf cichlids and would love to include a pair/trio in my forthcoming South American community tank. This is a rough sketch of what I have in mind:

40g acrylic rectangular (36" x 15" x 16"), Filstar XP 2 and Aquaclear 50 filters, 1 x 96w light (2.4w per gallon) on legs above the tank. Mopani wood, low-Medium light plants, no CO2. Fine gravel with a laterite layer. Fairly heavily planted. Given all that, what do you think of:

(Where "/" equals "or")

2-3 Apistogramma cacatuoides/borelli/nijsenni/GBR/Bolivian Rams -- 1 male 2 female
6-8 Corys
8-10 Glowlight/Lemon/Serpae/Bleeding Heart/Rummy nose/Rosy Tetras
8 Silver or Marble hatchets
Otocinclus as needed (5-6?)

Focusing on dwarf cichlids, is this a good (i.e., relatively peaceful) community mix? Are there any problems I should look out for?

Also, Los Angeles' water has been charitably described as "liquid rock." Is it too hard to keep apistos happy?

Thanks much for any advice, and I look forward to learning a lot here.

--Anthony

 

[DH247]

Just know, that if you want to breed the dwarfs at all or if they do spawn the tetras will decimate what fry you will have. I would recommend white cloud minnows or microrasboras.

Otherwise... welcome back to the hobby!!! Best of luck to you!

 

[irishspy]

Hi, DH247, and thanks for the advice. Yeah, I figured the tetras would think it's snack-time if the dwarfs were to breed. I'll live with that risk for now, though I'm considering a fry-raising tank, too.

(One aquarium leads to another, which leads to another, which... :biggrin: )

--Anthony