Apisto Newbie Tank (!!Help Please!!)

[BoBzz]

Well its finally here! My first time of keeping apistos that is. I have just set up my 10G and after cycling the apistos will be added which is perfect because it will give time for my plants to grow a bit. I am thinking a pair of either A. Atahulpa(sp?) or A. Bitaneatia but I may settle with whatever i find first. The tank stats are: Basic 10 Gallon
15 watt max plant grow bulb(ZooMed)
AC Mini (Peat as media), Whisper Mini (Peat as media)
2" of Fluorite
2 Coconut caves
2 tangled pieces of driftwood(the tank is not as crowded as you might think)
3 Scattered Oak leaves
I havent purchased any plants quite yet but plan on getting a few Anubias Nana some corkscrew vals and hygro for the back and maybe some pygmy chainsword for the foreground. The Apistos will be kept company by 2 Otos and a school of 6 neons or silvertip tetras. How does it all sound? Any tricks or tips you can give me would be great thanks
Oh yeah PH hasnt quite balanced out yet but i hope to have it around 6.5-6.8 the water is naturally soft and hopefully the peat will help keep it that way.

 

[kribs]

HI
I would not use the crokscrew val is it gets too big for a 10 gallon tanks you can try dwarf saggataria. also neons will go after the babies try pencil fish.

 

[farm41]

I would use 3-4" flourite, 2" is not enough. You can put a couple of handfuls of peat under the flourite, just toss it in before you put the flourite in, then you won't need peat in the filters.

 

[aspen]

i think you have too much filtration in that tank. i would suggest a corner box filter or sponge. when you get babies, they will be blown all over the place. but, using the peat as media, could be helpful to get the parms down, and then can be removed when parms are what you want.

rick

 

[BoBzz]

WOW i didnt expect so many replies in so short a time Thank you keep them coming!!! I figured that vals may be too big. I didnt realize that the neons would do that can you recommend a good place online to order pencils i have yet to see a single one round here and havent seen them on too many lists. I also dropped one of the filters I may change to a small fluval when i get a little more cash. Thanks again for your help!

 

[aspen]

'small fluval'. i use a fluval 1 internal only (the smallest) to filter my 35 gal. that may be too much as well. imo a filter needs to get rid of the amm etc, and clean the water a little bit. when you put this tank together, remember how tiny a little fry is, and that is needs to be able to stay in place and swim a bit. current should be at a minimum for fry. having your first spawn get stuck on the filter intake, is a bit of a drag. maybe it sounds like i've done that? yep, with an ac mini on a 15 gal. i would go buy a corner box filter or 2. throw a bunch of gravel in the bottom to keep it down, some floss and a bit of aquaclear sponge on the top. perfect, imo, and splittable for when you need a growout tank. sponge works nice too. both can be hidden behind spiral vals. my spiral vals haven't grown more than 11". that sounds like a nice plant for your 10 g tank. but, something with more body might be better for cover, like star grass (heteranthera zostefolia) plus some old stand-by java moss.

rick

 

[BoBzz]

Not to bash the methods of the experts but thems are damn ugly its kind of a show tank not especially meant for breeding although I do plan to in the future. I had no idea that a small fluval was that powerful, geeze im starting to sound like im new to the hobby altogether but hey if I knew everything I wouldnt be posting right? what about puting pantyhose over the filter intake? or just moving the fry into a smaller growout tank? I by no means think of myself of an expert but there has to be other options than box filters. I hope. Also do any of you use fertalizers in your apisto tanks? if so what kinds? Thanks

 

[aspen]

go ahead and bash the experts. i'm not one, so what do i care? he he.

'damn ugly'. well, you can hide them, but yes, they aren't as attractive as other things. as for pantyhose, well, they will stay stuck to the panty hose, ready for other fish to eat them. (yep, tried that too.)

it is a trade off i guess. perfect for your eye, or for the fish? my cacatoides have fry in my 35 with a fluval 1, and they have found a quiet spot to find refuge. i will see how effective my filter was in sucking up fry next week when i clean it out.

i have done this with fry though: i put a small disc of sponge and a bit of floss inside the intake tube of an ac mini when i had 30 discus fry in a 5 gal. the flow was reduced to a trickle this way. it took a little experimentation to get this just right, and clogged quickly. but i didn't have to reach into the tank to clean it.

i have thought that a variable fan control (like a dimmer switch for a fan) on a fluval would work to slow it down. you wanna try it? the risk is in burning the motor out, though or to slow it down to a stall. i'll try it and let you know.

rick

 

[Neil]

BoBzz,
If you are going to choose between one of the 2 species that you mentioned, go with the bitaeniata. Atahualpa is one of the most difficult Apistogramma species to breed and can be one of the most aggressive. A 10g tank for them would be a challange.
Neil

 

[kribs]

HI BoBzz I think it would be better to get the pencils from your local fish store unless you are looking for the fancy types which will cost you a lot more and shipping will make it worse. Just quarantine them before you add them to the apisto tank if you get them from the local fish store.

 

[BoBzz]

Well bad news for me the LFS didnt get my apistos in. But the good news is that they are supposed to be gettting a large shipment of wild pencils and they said they always get a ton of apistos that slip into the shipment along with other odds and ends so hopefully i can get a pair then. Im also thinking of upgrading it to a 20G long just to give them a little more space and to allow me more room for plants. Atahualpa is difficult ay? well i guess it would make things worse if they were wild too? I may go with them just to challenge myself. Thanks for all your continued help guys!

 

[Neil]

BoBzz,

Atahualpa is difficult ay? well i guess it would make things worse if they were wild too? I may go with them just to challenge myself.

You remind me of me! 8O I guess we are masochists. :twisted:

 

[BoBzz]

BoBzz,

Atahualpa is difficult ay? well i guess it would make things worse if they were wild too? I may go with them just to challenge myself.

You remind me of me! 8O I guess we are masochists. :twisted:

LOL Neil is that a good or bad thing???

I found a group of 10 Espei(sp?) pencils but for 3 bucks a piece do you think its worth it? nto the nicest looking of the genus but i heard they are one of the less common is it true :? ???

 

[mk_ultra]

I do not like pencil fish. i had them withmy viejitas in a ten and the mix was not very nice. I had 8 harrison pencils and they seemed overly aggresive in pursuing the food. scared the female into constanting hiding. I like the hatchet fish much better. Marble's stay small and they stay in the to of the water column oppose to everywhere.

 

[Neil]

mk_ultra,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

...scared the female into constanting hiding.

I think that was probably a somewhat unique situation. Most pencils, although sometimes active, should not present any type of threat to mature apistos. Usually the opposite is true - they bring the apistos out in the open more because of the example that there is no danger near.
Hatchets are another very good choice if the pencils are not working out for you.

I found a group of 10 Espei(sp?) pencils but for 3 bucks a piece do you think its worth it? nto the nicest looking of the genus but i heard they are one of the less common is it true :? ???

I am not sure what they pecifically look like, but hey should be fine. #-striped, coral red, brown tailed, etc. All are good candidates for an apisto tank. If they are rare and you like them, all the better.

Neil