S.A. Biotope for A. Bitaeniata [4ft, 75gal.]

[Jonathan Aquair]

Hey all,

I got my hands on some A. Bitaeniata (Rio Tigre) (thanks Ted J.!). They'll be coming next week and I'm planning on have 1-2 weeks of quarantine and then into the tank they go! While I am waiting for the Apistos, I'm starting the tank cycling and adding the first fish/plants. There are around 300+ Large Indian Almond Leaves (6-8"+) so the blackwater got SOOOOOOO dense, it took me several large water changes [x>50%] to even see the back of the tank! It took almost a week for all the leaf litter to even sink.... Underneath all the leaf-litter, I hid ~20 cocnut caves (and two artificial caves), so pleanty of hiding spots for the 6 initial cichlids and their fry.

Equipment/decor:
Fluval G3 canister filter
2 48in Florescent lights + small ceiling light bulb
38lbs of SubstrateSource "Super Fine Natural Sand"
~20 coconut and 2 artificial caves
~300+ Indian Almond Leaves (6-8"+)
1 lonely driftwood

Fish/Plants:
5 Otocinclus spp. "Common Oto"
6 Hyphessobrycon Herbertaxelrodi (Black Neon Tetra)
6 Hemigrammus erythrozonus(Glowlight Tetra)
~4 Neocaridina Heteropoda (Wild type "Cherry Shrimp") [as constant live food]
(May be adding Gammarus spp. as well)

Echinodorus spp.
Sagittaria spp.
Staurogyne Repens [may be STAUROGYNE SP. 'PORTO VELHO']



Week One after first water change

Week Two (after >50% water-changes to clear up particulate sand and clear up blackwater)

(Middle caves in open)

Ex. of how caves are hidden throughout

 

[Mike Wise]

You know that this isn't a true biotope for A. bitaeniata because none of the other organisms, other than possibly the Echinodoras spp., are found naturally with it. Still it should make an interesting community.

 

[Jonathan Aquair]

I know, it isn't 100%, I was trying for a true boitope but I couldn't get a hold of any pencil fish other than Beckfordi and I've heard plenty of bad things about apisto fry and Beckfordi. So I figured I ight as well just say "S. American Bio" than Apisto biotope.