Ortegai Keeping (New Guy Here)

[gerbilshower]

I just posted in the intro forums, but i wanted to post here and get any feedback possible before my fish come in. Ordered 4 Ortegai to go in my 55G tank (pics below).

First off, im hoping that is plenty of room for 4 fish. i know the females of this species can get aggressive towards one another. Let me know if otherwise, i have a 15g tank that is empty if needed.

Second, I am looking at Nannostomus trifasciatus as dithers. Probably 20ish of them. Is that unreasonable?

Third and final, I have a heavily planted tank. I know this isnt exactly 100% what apisto's environment looks like. Despite the plants i want to create the best possible water quality and similar environment for the fish. I will be adding leaf litter to the bottom and adding some peat starting with just some granules in the filter and then moving toward actual moss once i learn how to incorporate it into my water changes.

thanks for the advice, and did i miss anything glaring?

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

First off, im hoping that is plenty of room for 4 fish. i know the females of this species can get aggressive towards one another. Let me know if otherwise, i have a 15g tank that is empty if needed.

Second, I am looking at Nannostomus trifasciatus as dithers. Probably 20ish of them. Is that unreasonable?

Third and final, I have a heavily planted tank. I know this isnt exactly 100% what apisto's environment looks like. Despite the plants i want to create the best possible water quality and similar environment for the fish. I will be adding leaf litter to the bottom and adding some peat starting with just some granules in the filter and then moving toward actual moss once i learn how to incorporate it into my water changes.

thanks for the advice, and did i miss anything glaring?

Depends on the gender of the fish really, one male would be fine, and possibly four males might be all right. Two or three males will lead to the sub-dominant ones having a rough time of it, and probably the one or two females as well.

I like Nannostomus trifasciatus, personally I think 20 is to many, ten would be fine and you would need some more cover near the surface (floating plants), and a lid.

I like the plants, but you need a lot more cover and structure (leaves are good), personally I would let the tank grow in longer until the plant mass has at least doubled. Moss is really useful as well.

Are you in the UK? (edit you are not, I've just seen your other post), and how hard is your water?

cheers Darrel

 

[Claire Bou]

Hi!
Have you though about adding alder cones in addition to the leaves (for water quality) and some pods/cave (for the fish to hide and nest)?

 

[gerbilshower]

Darrel/Claire - Thanks for the responses.

I realize that there is a possibility i run into some issues with the 4 ortegai in the same tank. i am not SURE of gender as of this moment but they are supposed to be 2 pairs. I can always rehome whichever are having issues into my 15g.

I will take your advice and go with less dithers. I do have some dwarf lettuce and red root floaters that are growing quickly. the photo i showed is actually about 2 weeks old. it has grown some since. i am definitely going to add some oak leaves.

The water from the tap isnt too hard. I just bought a GH/KH test kit today to go along with the '6 in 1' strip test, which i realize is mostly garbage. but my readings from today with the strips read somewhere just over 30 GH (this is from the tank).


I had not heard of those cones before and i will check them out.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

I realize that there is a possibility i run into some issues with the 4 ortegai in the same tank. i am not SURE of gender as of this moment but they are supposed to be 2 pairs. I can always rehome whichever are having issues into my 15g.

I will take your advice and go with less dithers. I do have some dwarf lettuce and red root floaters that are growing quickly. the photo i showed is actually about 2 weeks old. it has grown some since. i am definitely going to add some oak leaves.

I had not heard of those cones before and i will check them out.

I've never had much joy with two males in the same tank, and I've never kept A. ortegai, so you need some-one else to advise you.

Alder are trees of the genus Alnus, the female catkins are lignified and persistent and look a bit like pine cones, but the tree is related to Birch (Betula spp.). They tend to grow in wet places, which I assume might be a problem for you? I know there are native species of Alnus in the USA, Alnus rubra, A. serrulata, A. viridis etc, but I don't know about in Texas.

but my readings from today with the strips read somewhere just over 30 GH (this is from the tank).

You probably need a softer source of water for long term success.

cheers Darrel

 

[Mike Wise]

Are you sure your dGH is 30? That's equivalent to liquid cement! A. ortegai might live in it but I highly doubt you'll be successful at reproduction. A. ortegai is a blackwater species that needs water similar to A. bitaeniata for successful breeding. I bred mine at pH ~6.0 and 40 µS/cm (~23 ppm TDS), but you can be successful at slightly higher hardness values.

 

[gerbilshower]

i ran the liquid GH/KH tests twice today on the tap and the tank. 5-6dGH and 2dKH in the tank. and 7-8dGH out of the tap.

the strip was counting ppm and the ranges were retarded from like 30-120 then 120-300 just impossible to read.

also just bought a tds pen on amazon so will be chasing your reading mike in the future.