Hello
I registered here because I have made plans to start keeping apistogramma (most likely cacatuoides) but I want to gather all information and opinions before committing to anything.
I have currently a 360l fishtank, 120x60x60 diameters. For the past 10 years I have had Neolamprologus multifasciatus, had successfully bred them, but past two years they are not breeding and are slowly dying out. I have last 5 pieces left, 4 females for sure, one most likely male.
In the top layer of the tank, I have had cyprochromis leptosoma ( i know, bad choice, but i really wanted them and for 6 years they sort of worked), few years of Danio rerio and now, for the past 4 years I have had Trigonostigma heteromorpha that try to spawn regularly but there are only 11 left.
My plan is to move the remaining 5 multifasciatus to my running 54l ( i know, a bit small, but they will manage), and remake this 360l to a blackwater setup with apistogramma. My idea is a high root, lots of driftwood, stones, maybe even one side of stone caves and a pilar perhaps?, adding more of the river sand that I already have there, keeping the Cryptocoryne aponogetifolia that I have had for the past 10 years and is healthy and 150cm long, maybe keeping one anubias as I dont want to just throw it out.
With this, I would like to keep the remaining trigonostigma. I would also like one male and 3-4 females of cacatuoides with maybe some hope of spawning.
Now finally to my question - what else can I add?
I read this forum and I know I would not go for any pleco nor any corydoras, but I was considering either 4 Carnegiella marthae or a group of Otocinclus though am not sure there. Or Hemigrammus rhodostomus to accompany or later on replace the rasboras. Though I have read pencilfish is a better choice, will read up on it as I didnt consider it before.
Of course as you understand I decided on a change finally and now am eager to get going, though I will most likely have to wait till autumn.
I took out 3/4 of the snail shells to limit the multifasciatus territory to get them used to a smaller setup gradually, and I am building a different 40l tank where I need to move a betta fish that now occupies the 54l that will house the multies later on. I also need to acquire the wood and stones first before even considering the apistogrammas. But of course this means I now have, and most likely will have for next few month a mostly empty fishtank, and I was wondering if I could just find a future tankmate that could be there now and be happy.
I will be happy for any advice. Thank you
I registered here because I have made plans to start keeping apistogramma (most likely cacatuoides) but I want to gather all information and opinions before committing to anything.
I have currently a 360l fishtank, 120x60x60 diameters. For the past 10 years I have had Neolamprologus multifasciatus, had successfully bred them, but past two years they are not breeding and are slowly dying out. I have last 5 pieces left, 4 females for sure, one most likely male.
In the top layer of the tank, I have had cyprochromis leptosoma ( i know, bad choice, but i really wanted them and for 6 years they sort of worked), few years of Danio rerio and now, for the past 4 years I have had Trigonostigma heteromorpha that try to spawn regularly but there are only 11 left.
My plan is to move the remaining 5 multifasciatus to my running 54l ( i know, a bit small, but they will manage), and remake this 360l to a blackwater setup with apistogramma. My idea is a high root, lots of driftwood, stones, maybe even one side of stone caves and a pilar perhaps?, adding more of the river sand that I already have there, keeping the Cryptocoryne aponogetifolia that I have had for the past 10 years and is healthy and 150cm long, maybe keeping one anubias as I dont want to just throw it out.
With this, I would like to keep the remaining trigonostigma. I would also like one male and 3-4 females of cacatuoides with maybe some hope of spawning.
Now finally to my question - what else can I add?
I read this forum and I know I would not go for any pleco nor any corydoras, but I was considering either 4 Carnegiella marthae or a group of Otocinclus though am not sure there. Or Hemigrammus rhodostomus to accompany or later on replace the rasboras. Though I have read pencilfish is a better choice, will read up on it as I didnt consider it before.
Of course as you understand I decided on a change finally and now am eager to get going, though I will most likely have to wait till autumn.
I took out 3/4 of the snail shells to limit the multifasciatus territory to get them used to a smaller setup gradually, and I am building a different 40l tank where I need to move a betta fish that now occupies the 54l that will house the multies later on. I also need to acquire the wood and stones first before even considering the apistogrammas. But of course this means I now have, and most likely will have for next few month a mostly empty fishtank, and I was wondering if I could just find a future tankmate that could be there now and be happy.
I will be happy for any advice. Thank you