Apistogramma trifasciata biotope (Planning)

[Matteo ITA]

Hi, my name is Matteo. Sorry for my English: I'm Italian.

I need your help to create a new biotope setup.

The tank is 90x40x50.
My idea is an harem of Apistogramma trifasciata. But I need some advices about tankmates and plant of their biotope. I know that Apistogramma trifasciata are from Rio Paraguay and Rio Guaporè.
I'd prefer Apistogramma trifasciata A204 from Rio Paraguay (blue A. trifasciata).

Can you help me?

In the next days, I'll add some pictures of the tank. I'll start with fine amber sand, a lot of wood and some leaf.

Thanks,
Matteo

 

[Matteo ITA]

What do you think about this idea?

1M+2F Apistogramma trifasciata (A204)
Aphyocharax rathbuni (are they ok as dithers fish? I've read they are "fin-nipper").
Corydoras paleatus (But I'm not sure if it is ok add corydoras with Apistogramma)

It could be a good idea for a Rio Paraguay biotope?

Thanks,
Matteo

 

[Mike Wise]

Is this aquarium for breeding A. trifasciata or a biotope community/show tank? It is very hard for the aquarium to be both successfully. As a biotope, 3 trifasciata and 6+ corys might be a crowded bottom, but is possible. I see no problem with the rathrbuni in a community setting, but might be highly efficient fry-predators in a breeding tank. A. trifasciata is regularly found among aquatic (submerged and floating) and bog plants in the Rio Paraguay. Many of these plants are common commercially. I think that you could design an excellent biotope tank.

 

[Matteo ITA]

Hi Mike Wise, thanks for the answer

This aquarium, initially, will be a biotope community tank. In the future, probably, I'll try to breed them in another aquarium (I recently had a breeding experience with a pair of P. scalare and now I don't have the time to try with Apistogramma).

Are there only C. paleatus in Rio Paraguay? In a Bleher's article I've read about C. pygmaeus but I'm not sure that it was correct. Probably is C. hastatus?

For the plants, I'm not very able with plants: my water is poor of element and I don't want use too much light and fertilazation.

Another user of the forum have used Echinodorus tenellus, Hydrocotyle leucocephala and Limnobium laevigatum: it's ok?
I didn't find a list of the plants that I can use.

 

[dwarfpike]

I've never had any issues with Aphyocharax rathbuni nipping fins on fish before. I've often wondered if they weren't confused with Aphyocharax anisitsi since both use the common name bloodfin tetra here, and A. anisitsi is known as a fin nipper.

 

[Matteo ITA]

I've never had any issues with Aphyocharax rathbuni nipping fins on fish before.

Thanks for your answer. Probably, they were confused with another fish.

 

[Mike Wise]

C. paleatus is commercially the most commonly available cory from the Paraguay system, but definitely not the only one. Check Planet Catfish for species information. C. pygmaeus, as far as I know, is a western Amazon Basin species that is only found in the Peruvian Amazon and Brazilian Solomões systems. The Paraguay system has C. hastatus. Plants aren't my specialty either, so check sources on line for plants from the Rio Paraguay system.

 

[Matteo ITA]

Thanks for the answer Mike

The Paraguay system has C. hastatus.

I like them! I've read they are different from other Corydoras because they usually swim in the middle levels of the tank.

What do you think about this idea:
1M + 2F Apistogramma trifasciata A204
10 Aphyocharax rathbuni
10 Corydoras hastatus

Too much fish?

For the plants, I've found this site with a list of plants in Paraguay basin. There are four common species of Echinodorus: quadricostatus, magdalensis, tenellus and grandiflorus. My tank is opened, and the idea of a big E. grandiflours emersed is interesting....

 

[Mike Wise]

It should work. I once had an apisto breeding tank that produced apisto, dwarf pencilfish, and C. pygmaeus fry at the same time. It was a fun tank.

 

[Matteo ITA]

It should work. I once had an apisto breeding tank that produced apisto, dwarf pencilfish, and C. pygmaeus fry at the same time. It was a fun tank.

Do you think that exists another idea of population also to try to breed the A. Trifasciata?
To breed apistogramma, pencilfish are better than A. rathbuni but I don't believe there are pencilfish in Paraguay basin....

For the plants I will use E. Tenellus.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

10 Corydoras hastatus

You may struggle to find them, they aren't often for sale in the UK (or USA I believe). You often see fish labelled as "Corydoras hastatus", but they are always C. pygmaeus.

cheers Darrel

 

[Matteo ITA]

Hi

Hi all,
You may struggle to find them, they aren't often for sale in the UK (or USA I believe). You often see fish labelled as "Corydoras hastatus", but they are always C. pygmaeus.

cheers Darrel

Hi,

also here in Italy it is difficult to find C. hastatus. Probably I'll add C. paleatus.

I've read several topics about habitat of A. borelli in this forum. I know that borelli and trifasciata are in the "same" habitat.
What do you think about this list of plant for my A. trifasciata biotope?
Echinodorus tenellus
Myriophyllum acquaticum
Eichhornia crassipes
Pistia
Salvinia
Nymphoides indica (did anyone try this plant?)

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Eichhornia crassipes

Is quite difficult in the aquarium, Pistia and Salvinia are fine as floaters. There is a species list for the Pantanal here: <http://www.conservation.org/Documents/RAP_Reports/RAP18_Pantanal_Brazil_Oct-2000.pdf>. I would think that a lot of the plants mentioned will grow where A. trifasciata lives.

cheers Darrel

 

[Matteo ITA]

Thanks for the link.

At the moment, my idea is a Rio Paraguay biotope in Argentinian area:
The plants that I will use are Echinodorus tenellus, Nymphoydes indica and Salvinia.
The fish: 1M + 2F Apistogramma trifasciata, 10 Aphyocharax rathbuni, 6 Corydoras paleatus.

What do you think?

This week I'll begin the work

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

6 Corydoras paleatus

I'd leave the Corydoras out, they will eat the Apistogramma fry, and there will be conflict between them and the Cichlids.

1M + 2F Apistogramma trifasciata

Can you get more females? A. trifasciata males are quite hard on the females, and having more makes them less stressed. The males fight with one another from quite a small size, and I found them difficult to raise as I didn't have enough tanks to keep the sub-adult males separated, and the local shops wouldn't take them at a small size.

cheers Darrel

 

[Matteo ITA]

Hi Darrel,

thanks for the answer. Ok for Corydoras: would small loricaridii be better?

Can you get more females?

Yes, I can. How many females do you suggest?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Yes, I can. How many females do you suggest?

Three, you don't really have enough floor area for any more.

Ok for Corydoras: would small loricaridii be better?

Otocinclus are fine, I've never kept them but I would assume Hypoptopoma and Parotocinclus would also be OK. I've not kept a wide range of loricariids, but both Ancistrus (L100) and Hypancistrus (L129, L333) have eaten the eggs/wrigglers where they can get in the cave at night.

cheers Darrel

 

[Matteo ITA]

Thanks

In the next day I'll begin to set up the tank.

 

[Cooder]

This is an awesome sounding tank, could you link me the information regarding A borelli and A. trifasciata cohabiting?

This thread has given me the same sort of idea for my 4ft 55gal setup im researching and am soon to start working on. Im thinking about 2 Apistogramma species in the same tank along with dithers, cats etc.

 

[Matteo ITA]

This is the setup of my tank.
I hope the plants will grow up fast. I'm not completely satisfied at the moment...but it is only the first day
I've used: Echinodorus grandiflorus, Echinodorus tenellus and Egeria najas.