Apistogrammas - Tank Mates

[hexy]

Hi,

Hoping someone can help - I have a seed pair of apistogramma bitaeniata and a sexed pair of apistogramma cacatuoide, and would like to breed these. However, running low on tank space, would these be able to go in the same tank? I could use a 60litre tank for them but do not want any casualities first off, and secondly would like to get them breeding.

Please any suggestions would be much appreciated...

Also I help on whether gobies, and ottos in the tank as well would either help/or cause more problems/ tank too small?

Many thanks
hexy

 

[FreedomFighter]

Hey buddy, I wouldn't advise keeping a pair of Bitaeniata and Cacatouides in a 60l.

Both of these species are cave spawners, so the fish will fight over the best cave and you may get a casualty, and once one of the pairs has started spawning in a cave they will declare the whole 60l as their territory and will bully the other pair quite severely.

What type of gobies?

Otocinclus are fine in the same tank as either pair, but provide them with plenty of hiding spaces as you don't want the apisto's to bully them.

Is there any other setup you could provide for one of the pairs? You don't need a large tank really, anything 24 inches or longer is enough for a pair.

Anything else I can help with? I love both these species of Apistogramma.

 

[hexy]

I have 3 tanks at the moment but with two being 60litre I wanted to condense them but also try breeding...

1 - 60litre --- pair of sexed cacs, 4 x bronze corys
2 - 24" tank --- 10 young athulpha
3 - 60litre --- pair of sexed bitaeniata, 3 x Sumatran neon goby~Stiphodon & 5 x ottos

I am also a bit worried about the gobies, they seem to go wherever they want and are aggressive to each other...

What would you suggest on the tank front? I would like to replace at least one of the larger tanks with a smaller one.

Thanks, hexy

Hey buddy, I wouldn't advise keeping a pair of Bitaeniata and Cacatouides in a 60l.

Both of these species are cave spawners, so the fish will fight over the best cave and you may get a casualty, and once one of the pairs has started spawning in a cave they will declare the whole 60l as their territory and will bully the other pair quite severely.

What type of gobies?

Otocinclus are fine in the same tank as either pair, but provide them with plenty of hiding spaces as you don't want the apisto's to bully them.

Is there any other setup you could provide for one of the pairs? You don't need a large tank really, anything 24 inches or longer is enough for a pair.

Anything else I can help with? I love both these species of Apistogramma.

 

[FreedomFighter]

Well both 60l tanks could be replaced with 24" tanks, and each could house a pair.

Other option would be to get a 48" tank and split it down the centre with a divider.

As far as gobies go, they're generally moody little buggers. They'll do their own thing, and may nip some fins when hungry. They'll likely be fry stealers if you try to breed, and the corydoras may try to eat eggs if they can get to them.