A.Borellii pair?

[Kylec66]

Very new to apisotgramma and am picking a pair up in about a week. I currently have a 20gal with 8 cardinal tetras, 5 panda corys and some amano shrimp. The tank stays around 76-82 degrees unheated just hot here in Arizona. Will the borellii fair well with these hotter temps? I know they aren't really totally out of their range but worried about them not doing well in the heat? I'm not too worried about ph as it sits around 6.8-7.2 and my KH is 5 and my GH is 7 using the API hardness test kits.

 

[MacZ]

The waterchemistry is fine. Temp could really be cooler, also for the Corydoras. That temperature might make them and the catfish age quicker and there is a higher risk of bacterial infections. But both is hardly to be changed. Just an additional risk to look out for. So keep up waterchanges and that should work out. 24°C is fine, 25 is still ok, above I'd be a bit wary.

Tankmates: With Cories I would not take a pair. As soon as they start spawning they become territorial and they and the cories start to stress each other out. Instead a single male would be probably better suited.

I would propose to get a different species of Apistogramma, that can take higher temperatures, so you only have one species (C. panda) that is not in optimal conditions. A. agassizii or A. hongsloi might be a good alternative.

 

[Kylec66]

thank you for all the advice! The temp thing I am working on but also know that it is a seasonal thing and in the winters it'll be colder but summers are drawn out here so I'll have to find a better way to cool off the tank. Was also considering rehoming the corydoras when I decided on a pair, I think that'll be the case.

 

[yukondog]

You cant only look at summer time temps, what will the temps be at the coldest time of the year?

 

[Kylec66]

it's hard to say haven't had a winter yet I got this tank set up in march but in AZ the winter temps are 50's-60's and like 68-70 in my apartment and will not be heating the tank

 

[MacZ]

With that range of temperatures you should invest in a heater for half of the year. You made it seem the temp stays within the range you gave at first.

 

[Mike Wise]

Moved to a more appropriate sub-forum.

 

[Kylec66]

With that range of temperatures you should invest in a heater for half of the year. You made it seem the temp stays within the range you gave at first.

I do own a heater, just during the summer its too much as its already so hot but good to know to keep it constant, obviously ill have to see, maybe the temp range wont change too much during the winter but that is still 6 months out so cooling is my main concern

 

[MacZ]

Heaters register the temperature they are set to and only heat when the temp is below their setting. Otherwise they are off. I can leave mine in the tank in summer and nothing happens. I have an appartment in a topfloor under the roof, I get 36°C in here on extremely hot days. Still keep my tanks under 30 with fans and waterchanges. luckily thats usually only a two or three weeks per year.

 

[CRD]

68-72 in the winter, and 76-82 in the summer seems perfect for borellii....not sure how the cardinals will feel about the winter time low temps though. Heck, with AZ weather, you could almost keep them outdoors

 

[Kylec66]

I’ve read online the cardinals would do fine in low 70’s for a couple months I’m sure they’ll be fine.

 

[MacZ]

Not so sure. I once forgot to re-plug a heater, water temp dropped to 20°C for a day, cost me 2 cardinals.

 

[Samala]

Agree with CRD. Borellii will be fine. This is roughly the range I keep them at in unheated tanks in central Florida. Even lower temps this past winter were fine though it did skew sex ratios in fry that were small at the time.

82F excursions only last a few hours at most in my house though.