New here and need ALL opinions!

[Bob O'Nrill]

So first of all, glad to be a part of this forum. I have a 75-gallon tank with about 6 full-size Cichlids, sucker fish, upside down catfish and looks amazing! Long story short, I was given a brand new never used 29-gallon bio cube and put this in our master bedroom and looks great, but still going thru the cycling process.

I started to think about what I wanted and came across Apisto's and sad to say, never knew about them. Again, my tank downstairs has been up and running for years and is just amazing and haven't thought of a new tank since I set that one up.

Long story short, I wanted a puffer, apistos, lobster/shrimp due to the color, etc. I have watched tons and tons of videos where I see these being in the same tank for a long time and they say no issues. Some forums I am being told to NEVER put these together. I even emailed a few online fish stores/companies and got major conflicting information over the past few weeks.

Bottom line, I want the Apistos but would also love some puffer (pea puffer...not sure what type, etc) shrimp, etc. Is this really possible? Again, I know a lot of new folks come in here and just ask questions, but I have done my research and I am just confused on what can be put with others that I listed above.

ANY help and/or experience on what I want would be appreciated and of course, the long names of Apistos are confusing as well, so help me out with the common name when giving me some advice. Am I asking for too much variety in my new tank? Are we getting some right info, but then wrong info or what? I don't want anything killed due to my inexperience, so this is why I have come to the 'EXPERTS' THANKS IN ADVANCE!!

Bob O'Neill
Mooresville, NC

 

[Drayden Farci]

Puffer are nippy, and the larger ones will flat out eat a fish. Don't combine puffers with other fish. The best case scenario you'd get is a South American Puffer (C. asellus), and they like to be in groups. Even then, every fish would have nipped fins.

Shrimp/lobsters depend on the species. There are shrimp that filter feed and don't actually have claws, and there are others that will catch your fish and eat them.

I'd go with a pair or two of Apisto's with schooling fish like tetras. They will be happiest that way!

 

[gerald]

Pea puffers might work out OK with Apistos; many people do keep them in "community" tanks without much problem, as long as no slow-moving long-finned fish are present. Like cichlids, their personalities vary and some are more troublesome than others. Might work best if you put them in at the same time or later than the Apistos. Be prepared to move them if things don't work out (or if you want your Apisto's fry to survive). Fortunately pea puffers are always in demand so shouldn't be difficult to give away if you have to. And of course there's always the "get another tank" option ...

 

[Bob O'Nrill]

Hello Gerald...thanks for the reply....

Sounds like I may wait and just get a very small tank for a pea puffer....what about Cherry Shrimp, etc with the Apistos? Besides shrimp and other Apistos, what else can safely play along nice? Just looking for some nice color for this tank. Any sucker fish, cat fish, etc?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

...what about Cherry Shrimp, etc with the Apistos?

Yes the Apistogramma will love them, they are quite a good supplementary food.

I got a bit carried away and accidentally ended up feeding all my female shrimps to the cichlids.

cheers Darrel

 

[Linus_Cello]

Puffer are nippy, and the larger ones will flat out eat a fish. Don't combine puffers with other fish. The best case scenario you'd get is a South American Puffer (C. asellus), and they like to be in groups. Even then, every fish would have nipped fins.

I had mine with my discus, and no nipped fin problems. I guess keep them well fed (mine ate blackworms; which lead to the problem of them not really eating snails and me having to manually clip their teeth).