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Which Apistogramma?

Mazan

Active Member
Messages
281
I was wondering if any of you could help advise me which species to get for my first experience with Apistogrammas. My tank is 120cm by 40 by 50 high, I don't have any fish yet, waiting for plants to become well established. I have been making enquires about which species are available, locally I can get A. Macmasteri, wild caught, they are very small and still in quarantine. Another seller about 3 hours away is offering cacatuoides (2 varieties), bitaeniata (blue and shishita) and baenschi. These are apparently captive bred, are about 4 cm and also still in quarantine. Would it be best to get just one species? I have been trying to read as much as possible but there is conflicting information (eg baenschi is very shy / not at all shy; macmasteri should be kept in pairs / kept in harems). So any advice about how many I should get and male to female ratios for each of these species would be useful. Also about which are the hardiest, easiest to feed etc., and anything else about their particular characteristics would be useful. I wondered about getting 2 very different species, perhaps baenschi and bitaeniata? But also I can get juvenile keyhole cichlids which I like very much as well, so maybe they, along with one pair or harem of apistogrammas might be more peaceful? I am not planning on getting any other bottom dwelling fish. Any thoughts would be appreciated...
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Many questions but I don't have enough information. You left out 2 important pieces of information needed to give a reasonable reply:
1. Do you plan for this to be a community tank or a tank for breeding?
2. Do you have any information on your water values (pH, hardness, etc)?
 

Mazan

Active Member
Messages
281
Sorry, pH is 6.6-6.8, hardness - very soft about 1-2 according to the kit I am using. Initially a community but with the potential of breeding in the not too distant future, I am setting up an additional tank for breeding, I would like to observe behavior in the big tank though.
 

yukondog

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
664
Location
N.W. Fl.
Your water sounds like mine.
I read somewhere the collector said the water they were catching them in was very cool.
Is the tank cycled/aged or new setup?
You could always put a divider in and breed two types, and have the best of both worlds.
Of the ones you mentioned I have/had except the Baenschi, all were good feeders, I would ask the dealer if the wild Macs. are eating flake food yet and or what type.
 

Mazan

Active Member
Messages
281
Thanks for your comments, the tank is new, set up about 3 weeks now with no fishes quite a lot of plants, and small snails that came with the plants, rocks, caves and driftwood. I have not yet been able to get the tests for nitrate and nitrite, working on this.. I have a canister filter with matrix. The shop with the macmasteri say they will not be selling them until they are eating dried food. The others will be available in about 2 weeks but I have to reserve them soon. Would all of these be best in a harem situation?
 

yukondog

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
664
Location
N.W. Fl.
I would give it a good couple of mo. with fish before adding apistos.
they do better with aged water at least for me.
 

Mazan

Active Member
Messages
281
Mm yes I was wondering that...trouble is I also want to get some red pencilfish and I think they are the same, ie better in a mature tank not sure what fish I would put in the meantime unless I get a couple of small angels (easy and cheap here) or get the keyholes in a couple of weeks. I might get some Otocinclus, otherwise I wasn’t planning on any more fish and I was hoping to take this opportunity- for both the Apistos and the pencilfish, neither are very readily available. If I pay for the fish the seller might hold them for me maybe...
As to numbers, I think I will stick to one species and maybe 2 males, 4 females- does that sound good? Before long I should have a smaller tank set up in case anyone needed rescuing.. Still can’t decide which species though..
 

yukondog

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
664
Location
N.W. Fl.
I dont like putting all my eggs in one basket, every time I did I wound up with a empty basket, if it were me, I would put three females and one male in one and one male and female in the other, or even better one male and two females in each tank, if the spare is big enough.
I would not pre-pay/hold for anything, if it dies while in there care they may not honor it, my LFS will order it for me and pay at pick up, I never pick up the day they get it, I wait at least two days, if it dies it's on them, after I get it I have 48hrs. guarantee, not much because as most I've seen will last a week or so before dying.
You could use cheap fish like danio or guppy's for awhile then when your ready for you fish trade/give them back to your pet store.
 

Mazan

Active Member
Messages
281
Yes I was thinking that about the guppies last night...also I am getting nervous, I don’t think I’ll order the Apistos just yet, but I might risk the pencilfish as it may be very hard to get them again. I actually think the macmasteri could be around for a while since they are in a local fish shop and look very small and dull at the moment. And if they survive for the next month or so they are probably OK. Many thanks for your input.
 

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