Common name/s: Apisto Panduro, Panda Apisto

Scientific name: Apistogramma Panduro

Family: Cichlidae

Origin: South America, Rio Tahuayo (Lower Rio Ucayali, Peru)

Maximum size: 3.5 inches

Care:These Apistos prefer soft water and a PH level of 6.5. A good tank temperature is 80°F. A good tank size is 20 gallons as a minimum and like to be kept in pairs of trios(1male:2females).Although beware, these Apistos are aggresive towards other Apisto species,namly females but are not aggresive towards other non Apisto tank mates. They like lots of plants(their natural substrate in leaf litter, but is not needed),rocks, caves and wood to swim about. They're a peaceful fish but can get territorial at times, like all cichlids do. They come out alot when there are other fish such as tetras like the Neon that are also swimming about which tells them everything is safe. They shouldn't be kept with large and aggresive fish and make great community additions.

Feeding: Frozen foods such as brine shrimp and bloodworm, they also take flakes and pellets.

Sexing:Females are bright yellow with black markings on its chest areas, Males are blue and brown colours.

Breeding: PH should be leaft at 6.5 and a water hardness should be at 50ppm and feed frozen live and add freeze dried food to the mix. Lower the temperature and add cold water to the tank. They will spawn in caves and are very good parents. Once the eggs are hatched and the fry are free swimming(usualy after 6 days), they should be fed freshly hatched brine shrimp, vinigar eels and microworms.

Comments: Often confused with the Apistogramma nijsseni, the males look very much alike and both species are called Panda Apistos.

EDIT: Thanks to Peter_Lovett for the additional information
EDIT2: Picture removed, not the right species

This post has been edited by Dwarf_Dude: May 29 2005, 02:09 AM

Not the best pic of the male, but for reference:

Male


And the female


Andrew

This post has been edited by a.d.wood: Feb 6 2006, 05:00 PM