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ApistoGirl<3

New Member
Messages
12
So, I have been working on a 55 g Rio Negro biotope. I have gotten so much mixed info on the stock.
Here is the tank, was cloudy because i had just added water and substrate, will be adding 20 more pounds and thick leaf litter and botanicals (hopefully apistos will like the bigger botanicals and use as caves!).

55 Gallon
Blackwater Rio Negro Igapo Biotope
190 Gal filtration (via sponge and HOB)
Temperature will be 77
PH will be 6-6.5 ish
Sparsely planted, 1-3 Amazon Swords, Azolla and Frogbit

Some people have said that my stock plan was ok with water changes somewhat frequently, some said to skip on a couple species. I had a lot less originally and I usually understock but this time, i was wondering if maybe i could overstock a little. This was an idea i had today. I found some F1 apisto cauc near me, and a 35 dollar high quality pair of Macmasteri at my LFS so, i would love to do that. Below is the possible plan! I am not sold on checkerboards, but, the Bristlenose MUST stay. I kind of just added a bunch of the fish i could have (that work with the biotope) and asked a Discord server I belong to if it could work (Aquarium Community, great place!). One more species is Hemiodontichthys Acipenserinus but, I doubt they could work too. I am VERY skeptical that it will work but, i have heard mixed things! Would love to hear your opinion!

2 x Festivum (Mesonauta festivus)
2 x Checkerboard Cichlid (Dicrossus filamentosus)
2 x Apisto. Macmasteri
4 x F1 Apisto. Caucatoides
20 x Cardinal Tetras (Paracheirodon axelrodi)
9 x Sterbai Cories (Corydoras Sterbai)
1 x Bristlenose Pleco ( Ancistrus sp.)
9 x Otocinclus


Edit- I think I posted in the wrong thread, sorry! I do need to know compatibility of apistos and the others!

1597189083451.png
 

ApistoGirl<3

New Member
Messages
12
And I know it isn't a perfect biotope! It is my first biotope and i'm doing my best! all the species COULD occur in the same Rio Negro Igapo area
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
How accurate do you want your biotope species-wise? Looking at your species list, most of the species do not occur in the Rio Negro. Certainly none of the apistos do, nor does Mesonauta festiva or Cory sterbai. As for compatibility, it depends on how the tank is laid out and if you are adding potential breeding pairs.
 

ApistoGirl<3

New Member
Messages
12
Did some more research and you are right about some of it but, festivum are actually from the Rio Negro, source below

 

ApistoGirl<3

New Member
Messages
12
Can't find anything on corydoras species (that are common) in the area so, might leave them out, i can add in some Apisto. Gephrya. Had heard apistos came from there but, maybe i was wrong. Thanks for the reply, i do want it to be accurate! i really was hoping for apistos though... macmasteri and cauctoides would be fun, i actually have a pair that i was hoping to add to the biotope... maybe my betta can get out of the 20, into a 10, and i could have a pair of macmasteri and a pair of cauc? would be a similar setup to this biotope, just in a 20 and with a LOT less stock, maybe focused on a different river? thanks for telling this to me!
 
Last edited:

Mike Wise

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Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Corydoras sterbai is from the Rio Guaporé an upper tributary of the Rio Madiera. Mesonauta festivus is found in the same system plus the upper Rio Paraguay. There are 2 Mesonauta species from the Rio Negro drainage: M. guainia from the lower part and M. insignis in the Negro and upper Orinoco. As for corys, there are dozens of species from the Negro like C. aldolfoi and C. davidsandsi. I couldn't find any Otocinclus nor Paraotocinclus in the Negro. I looked. I even found a species list that showed Zebra Danios have established themselves in the Negro - amazing!
 

ApistoGirl<3

New Member
Messages
12
I am going to research some more and figure out what I am going to do going forward with this tank. Had my heart set on Rio Negro but, love festivum.
 
Last edited:

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Buy commercial Festivums. Most in the commercial trade are M. insignis if from Brazil or, more likely, M. mirificus from Peru. Both are are so similar looking that most aquarists cannot tell them apart.
 

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