My Apistogramma cacatuoides don't seam to swim out in the open very much. They are housed in a heavily planted 75 gallon tank with blue rams, gold rams, one angle, and several tetras. They were the last fish to be added into my tank; about three weeks ago. When I have seen them out in the open I did not see any of the other fish harassing them. They seem to spend most of there time at the back of the tank. Do they need more time to adjust to my tank? I would very much like to see them swimming about.
-
Hello guest! Are you an Apistogramma enthusiast? If so we invite you to join our community and see what it has to offer. Our site is specifically designed for you and it's a great place for Apisto enthusiasts to meet online. Once you join you'll be able to post messages, upload pictures of your fish and tanks and have a great time with other Apisto enthusiasts. Sign up today!
Shy Apistogramma cacatuoides
- Thread starter There Be Whales Here
- Start date
Are they comercially breed or nature captured ?
Maybe they just need more time but check water parameters, nitrate and nitrites, sometimes shy behavior is the first warning.
You have a really dense planted aquarium ?, your plants are fast growers ? (like hygrophila polysperma, ludwigias and alike) don't get overconfindent with plants making all the filter work.
Another way it's to serve daphnias in the aquarium (turn off the water movement first). When the fish learn that in the open areas there is a better food, they will go hunting
Greetings, Juan.-
Maybe they just need more time but check water parameters, nitrate and nitrites, sometimes shy behavior is the first warning.
You have a really dense planted aquarium ?, your plants are fast growers ? (like hygrophila polysperma, ludwigias and alike) don't get overconfindent with plants making all the filter work.
Another way it's to serve daphnias in the aquarium (turn off the water movement first). When the fish learn that in the open areas there is a better food, they will go hunting
Greetings, Juan.-
Apistogrammas mostly refuse to eat dry foods, I would therefore recommend frozen brine shrimp or live food. Apistogrammas come from dense areas with lots of leaves and low light. They like to hide if they don’t feel secure. I’ve had apistos hide for over a month before they felt secure enough to come out all day.
My experience is that the more hiding places you have, the more they are out in the open. If they know they can hide any second they want they feel secure enough the swim out in the open. If they only have 1 or 2 hiding places, they will keep hiding.
For example my 60 liter tank contains 4 small apistogramma sp. D37. This tank is heavily planted with about 12 savu pods and 2 coconuts to hide in, combined with lots of wood structures and lots of dead leaves covering the savu pods and coconuts. They are always out in the open, but once I scare them by taking of the lid, they hide in a second. Then I proceed to put the food in and close the lid. Within a second they are out in the open again and eating. I think this is the most natural behaviour for them.
My experience is that the more hiding places you have, the more they are out in the open. If they know they can hide any second they want they feel secure enough the swim out in the open. If they only have 1 or 2 hiding places, they will keep hiding.
For example my 60 liter tank contains 4 small apistogramma sp. D37. This tank is heavily planted with about 12 savu pods and 2 coconuts to hide in, combined with lots of wood structures and lots of dead leaves covering the savu pods and coconuts. They are always out in the open, but once I scare them by taking of the lid, they hide in a second. Then I proceed to put the food in and close the lid. Within a second they are out in the open again and eating. I think this is the most natural behaviour for them.
MarkG
New Member
Hey Chris, thanks for the feedback!
I have frozen brine in the freezer... Hmm rather obvious place lol.
I've read conflicting info on water movement. I have a powehead with a small sponge filter to polish the water and provide circulation along with a sponge filter rated for a 75 gallon tank.
As for hiding I have 2 clay pots and there are 3 natural hiding places in the scape.Do I need more?
I have frozen brine in the freezer... Hmm rather obvious place lol.
I've read conflicting info on water movement. I have a powehead with a small sponge filter to polish the water and provide circulation along with a sponge filter rated for a 75 gallon tank.
As for hiding I have 2 clay pots and there are 3 natural hiding places in the scape.Do I need more?
Hi all,
Have a look at <"Best Plants?">, <"Dither question">, <"Trio in a 2ft"> and <"Ideal spawning cave">.
cheers Darrel
Water movement is fine, you can have a lot of flow, as long as you have enough structure to diffuse it.
Basically the more structure you have in the tank the more secure the fish feel. If you have a floating plants, structural leaf litter, wood, caves etc and some dither fish the Apistogramma will come out.
Have a look at <"Best Plants?">, <"Dither question">, <"Trio in a 2ft"> and <"Ideal spawning cave">.
cheers Darrel
A photo of your tank would help as well. Also make sure the enterances of the caves are not too big. For example my sp. D37 female chose a small savu pod right in front of the glas to breed. If you look closely you can see a few white eggs inside the cave.
I also provided a full tank picture of my tank as an example
I also provided a full tank picture of my tank as an example