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My first apistogrammas

Miss ATV

Member
Messages
58
Hi all,

I am very new to keeping Apistogramma. I have 2 (1 male and 1 female Cacatuoides) in a 15gal tank together with 6 Penguin tetras.

The current male I just got from an excellent online shop. Originally I had purchased a male&female from a local pet store and the male was much smaller and died after 4 weeks. Turns out there was an ammonia increase in the tank 1ppm(I measured it when I found him on the bottom of the tank displaying sings of nitrate poisoning - curled body, gasping) and I think that's what got him. My fault completely I was late 1 day with the water change and I found a spot with tons of poo which I obviously missed when cleaning the gravel the previous weeks. Lesson learned, in hindsight I think he was also stunted since he wasnt growing at all and was very small compared to the female.

I have a few questions please if you can advise me:

1. The new male I got is a lot bigger than my female, at the moment he flares up occasionally to her but doesnt insist when she is not interested. Could this be a problem if he becomes more brave? Is there any risk of him attacking/killing her since she is so small?
He is about 6cm she is about 2-2.5cm

2.How often do you recommend feeding? Currently I feed the tetras every other day and the apisto directly from a pipette daily a few hikari micro pellets. Once a week I feel brine shrimp and blood worms. Is it too much/enough?

3. How much water changes to do weekly? I do now about 20-30% once a week


Any other advice is welcomed please, I have attached some photos of the fish.

Thanks!

Male
IMG_20200619_162022_289.jpg

20200619_194614.jpg


Female
20200619_185432.jpg

20200619_194051.jpg
 
Messages
36
Location
AZ
Very nice!
They look healthy.
Shouldn't be an issue. Females' are naturally smaller than the males.
If everybody looks healthy i wouldnt feed more.
IMO your water changes sound about right. :)
You are a WONDEFUL fish photographer btw!!
 

Miss ATV

Member
Messages
58
Very nice!
They look healthy.
Shouldn't be an issue. Females' are naturally smaller than the males.
If everybody looks healthy i wouldnt feed more.
IMO your water changes sound about right. :)
You are a WONDEFUL fish photographer btw!!


Thanks, I am just a little nervous as I never had cichlids before and while I got away with feeding the other fish I kept more rarely I feel the cichlids need to eat daily. They always look so hungry lol.

For the photos thanks it's the phone camera mainly and the fact that the fish are very excited when they see movement outside the tank so they stay calm in front of the camera
 

lexi

Member
Messages
40
Location
Oregon, USA
...the fish are very excited when they see movement outside the tank so they stay calm in front of the camera

I have the opposite problem! My new ones usually bolt away. They've gotten a bit braver about staying put if I come up to the tank slow and just watch, but any noise or the movement of trying to get a picture spooks them back into their caves.

I have had a single female for a few months and she is much braver, so I'm hoping these new babies will warm up to me too.

Welcome! From one newbie to another. ;) Hehe
 

Miss ATV

Member
Messages
58
I have the opposite problem! My new ones usually bolt away. They've gotten a bit braver about staying put if I come up to the tank slow and just watch, but any noise or the movement of trying to get a picture spooks them back into their caves.

I have had a single female for a few months and she is much braver, so I'm hoping these new babies will warm up to me too.

Welcome! From one newbie to another. ;) Hehe


I think mines are boldened by the penguin tetras which are super brave and jump on the food straight away. I have a smaller tank with pigmy cory cats and there are 10 fish in there but when I go near the tank they all disappear, the tank looks completely empty:D. It's a bit embarassing actually when I have to tell people "I promise you there is fish in there"
 

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