Apistos

[Wills]

Hi new to the forum - just recently started to set up a new tank. I would love to put some Apistos in it but not sure which type or how many.
The tank is 10g and a long tank rather than a cube - I was hoping to try and get a pair of Apistos for it but not sure if it will work can you help
me please.

The ones I'm mainly interested in are Apistogramma cacatuoides or Apistogramma panduro or Apistogramma Nijssen. I saw an article on cichlid forums that would suggest this could work? Even with a small school in there. Could I get peoples thoughts on this please

Also how would alone cichlid (andy of the above) do on their own in the tank with a school of somthing like galaxy rasbora?

Please help
Thanks
Wills

 

[bagu]

hmmm 10gallons is too small for starters mate

I can't see anything wrong with a single one! personally i'd go for a cockatoo cichlid (which you have there) if you want more color go for the male =] although he might get a tad territorial

 

[Colin_T]

You can breed a pr of any Apistogramma species in a 10gallon tank. I used that size for mine when I was keeping them. A pr of Apistogramma cacatuoides in a 10g with a half flower pot lying on its side, a couple of plants and a sponge filter & heater is all you need. Then just feed them a varied diet and keep the water clean. They will do the rest.

If you want other fish in the tank then a small group of peaceful fish will be fine but you might not get as many young form the cichlids.

Apistogramma cacatuoides are the easiest to keep and breed, particularly if you get captive bred stock. The double red or red flash varieties are nice and worth getting if you can afford them.

 

[Wills]

Thanks for the replies !!

Totally agree 10g is a small tank, but did you mean for starters as in first of all or starters as in new fishkeepers? As I've kept fish for about 4-5 years but had to shut down my tanks at the end of last year due to family illness but things have calmed down now and hoping to get back into it. Regards the tank I'm hoping clever aquascaping will keep them occupied I can be quite clever with low amounts of materials but interesting results.

Not really looking to breed them intentionally but if it happens I will be ready ive had breeding pairs of angels, keyholes and rams in the past (and endless amounts of live bearers!) So I will keep my other little tank to hand just in case. Like I said I would love to have some galaxy rasbora in there as well so I might go for a pair of apistos + 4 galaxy what you think?

 

[bagu]

sounds okay to me then mate

 

[Wills]

Cool thanks guys how many galaxy do you think I can get away with? Also do you think a few shrimp would be ok? or is that just too far just thinking for cleaning

 

[mattbond]

borellis are a bit smaller and might do better than the other apistos, and galaxies should be fine with those

as for cacatuoides, i wouldnt reccomend anything smaller than a neon tetra really, maybe the ember tetras would be good?

 

[Wills]

how about the panduro? they are about the same size right?

 

[Wills]

Just an update on the tank its self - its cycling nicely now reckon Ive still got a week or so left with it at the moment but I think its peaked now. Plants are lagging a little in places might put some ferts in later this week - its my birthday tomorow so im aloud to go to the fish shops so getting some more plants a rock or two for caves probs thin slat or if im lucky a good shaped piece of....totaly forgoten the name but the stuff that looks like mountains lol.

 

[ALW]

Any of these should be fine:

Agassiz's Cichlid-Apistogramma agassizi
Cockatoo Cichlid-Apistogramma cacatoides
Viejita's Cichlid-Apistogramma viejita
Panda Dwarf Cichlid-Apistogramma nijsseni
Borelli's Dwarf Cichlid-Apistogramma borellii