Apistogramma Community Tank?

[Drewsplantednutz]

So a few weeks ago I seen some pics of a triple red and fell in love with them.. So I decided to maybe make my newly aquired 40G breeder into a community tank particularly for schooling fish like neon tetras, red barbs and chili rasboras. I was looking a videos of tripple reds on youtube and seen a tank with nice plants, a triple red, a german ram and a bunch of tetras. I will be reading up on the apistos for a while before I commit to anything but would love this combo in a community tank. The closest ive had to these fish are a electric blue ram, or maybe jack dempsy, but I do remember it being the bully in the tank but it was a bare 10 gallon with no hidding places. So if anyone feels free to rain on my apisto parade feel free or maybe let me know if im on the right track with these fish in a community planted tank. ps, will be using my tap water at 7-7.5 ph, gh 5, kh 2, tds 200.

[ced281]

One of my local aquarium shops keeps their apisto cacatuoides all packed together in what looks likes a 40g breeder. I think he has about 30+ in there and they are breeding prolifically. They all seem pretty happy together but I'm not around all the time to check on them. I do know that by typical calculations that tank is well overstocked and that there's a great deal of maintenance required to keep the water parameters up.

I have experience keeping smaller numbers and I would highly recommend against having more than 1 male in a community tank. You need at least 36" of length to keep more than 1 male in my opinion otherwise the smaller one will get constantly get harassed. It will also be harder to feed that smaller male and he will eventually just wither away. With 36" or more of length, there is a better chance they will establish their own territories (but you will still see the larger one chase around the smaller one).

From my experience, male apistos are generally aggressive towards each other (even more so in the presence of a female).

[Drewsplantednutz]

Nice thanks. Ya im not planning on haviong more than a couple. From what i read up on its better to have 2-3 females per male to keep him from chasing the same one around.

[The Dude]

I haven't had Apisto's although I would very much like to. When I had Kribs in my 46g only one male and one female did well (the largest pair). Despite all the extra space they constantly harrassed the others. They didn't even seem to notice the other fish though. Definately post pics when you get it set up!

[blink]

Ahhh, conspecific aggression... A cichlid specialty.

I've been thinking about triple reds or Orange flashes and most of what I've read says 20*20" of floorspace per pair but they won't bother other non-apisto fish unless they're spawning, then all hell can break loose.

[sundragon]

I have two sets of Apistos in a community planted tank.

My first hand experience:

1. They are conspecific (mentioned earlier) aggressive with other Apistos. The two males I have flash each other flared fins and it ends at that - But I have a 36x18 tank with a few females to court.

2. Try one pair or a small harem 1 male, 2 females.

3. If you want more than one male - Provide loooots of plants/wood/stone to break sight lines. Take a look at my tank - there are 3 caves (wood and rock) and lots of broken sight lines.

4. Caves - they breed and love caves - Mine also like to bury themselves in Staurogyne repens bushes.

5. They are very interesting fish and leave my Coral reds, cardinals, otos, and corys alone.

6. Love blood worms, flakes, and pellets.

[ced281]

I forgot to add that you should be careful about having too many females in the same tank! The females are also pretty territorial and if you don't have enough space the dominant one will harass the other ones like none other. With a 40g breeder, having 1 male with 2-3 females should be plenty since each female needs at least 1 sq ft of space (better to have 18"x12" of space) to mark as territory (assuming you have sufficient plants/hardscape to break line of sight).

[sundragon]

Originally Posted by ced281

I forgot to add that you should be careful about having too many females in the same tank! The females are also pretty territorial and if you don't have enough space the dominant one will harass the other ones like none other. With a 40g breeder, having 1 male with 2-3 females should be plenty since each female needs at least 1 sq ft of space (better to have 18"x12" of space) to mark as territory (assuming you have sufficient plants/hardscape to break line of sight).

I second this advice

[sundragon]

Oh, If you have shrimp, they will eat them.

I was wondering why my shrimp were dying and being eaten until I saw my Apisto male hunt an amano and tear it apart...

[The Dude]

Originally Posted by sundragon

I have two sets of Apistos in a community planted tank.

My first hand experience:

1. They are conspecific (mentioned earlier) aggressive with other Apistos. The two males I have flash each other flared fins and it ends at that - But I have a 36x18 tank with a few females to court.

2. Try one pair or a small harem 1 male, 2 females.

3. If you want more than one male - Provide loooots of plants/wood/stone to break sight lines. Take a look at my tank - there are 3 caves (wood and rock) and lots of broken sight lines.

4. Caves - they breed and love caves - Mine also like to bury themselves in Staurogyne repens bushes.

5. They are very interesting fish and leave my Coral reds, cardinals, otos, and corys alone.

6. Love blood worms, flakes, and pellets.

Can you post a couple pics of your tank?

[sundragon]

Originally Posted by The Dude

Can you post a couple pics of your tank?

Sure, just click on my signature (below) - It's my tank from start till today
V
V
V

[james1542]

The worst thing that will happen is you get hooked on them, which you probably will. If you can get them locally you are pretty lucky and I'd pick up a pair to start.

[sundragon]

Originally Posted by The Dude

Can you post a couple pics of your tank?

This is my pair of macmasteri - I learned that they are mislabeled Viejita "Redneck" from the folks at Apistogramma.com.

You will be hooked because they are quite fun to watch - especially when they court.

[The Dude]

Absolutely stunning!

[Yamaz]

http://apistogrammaidiots.com/David_.../articles.html