Preparing For Apistogrammas

BethK

Rattie tat tat
Joined
Apr 16, 2010
Messages
2,378
Reaction score
1
Location
Berkshire, UK
Hi All

Don't worry, i'm not adding anymore fish to my tank, until I've cycled the new filter.

I want to get this right, so that i do not lose apistos again. Can you help with advice, how to make ph more apisto friendly, other water conditions, food etc

thanks
 
Do you know how hard or soft your water is? bogwood really improved conditions for my water :)

I thought this thread was useful:
My link

the most important thing is to provide a varied diet with good quality food.
 
I didn't do anything to prepare for my two, but then I did already know I had a kH 1-2 and gh of 1-3. My ph sits at 6.0

If you have high kH and/or gH then you may want to consider either RO or bottled water. Aqua pura has a very low gh and kh and sits around ph 6.5 and tescos bottled water is similar.
 
RO?

Bottled water for 125ltr, that's a lotta water lol can it be mixed with tap? i know, silly question.
 
When you said preparing for... I presumed after the last disaster that you were thinking of giving them there own tank. So yeah, bottled water is out of the question really.

RO = Reverse osmosis. It's basically 'pure' water, so has absolutely nothing dissolved in it. You can buy it from LFS and also you can buy RO units and make your own at home. You then mix it with your tap water and it lowers your dissolved solids level.

Ie. a kh of 8 with 50:50 RO to tap would become kh 4
 
The thing that concerns me most about mixing RO with tap water is that the kH and gH will be steadily changing over time useless there is great attention to detail...

Water will be evaporating out of the tank, leaving any minerals behind, so when the next 1:1 mix is done the gH and kH have actually raised along with the pH.

Perhaps this is me getting too bogged down with detail which does not affect the well-being on fish in the real world?

Water obviously evaporates from pure tap water as well, but by wanting to mix it with RO, its kH and gH must be relatively high to consider not using pure tap water. However, this higher gH and kH will be a stronger natural buffer to prevent large and rapid pH swings?
 
i wouldn't give them their own tank, they'd go in my 125ltr, once the new filter is cycled and adapted.

i'd like to have a lower ph than 8, as much as i like bettas, i really really really want apistos but only if i can get the ph down
 
Water will be evaporating out of the tank, leaving any minerals behind, so when the next 1:1 mix is done the gH and kH have actually raised along with the pH.

Now apply that line of thought to using normal tap water only... see.... the kh and gh still increase. Hence why we suggest regular decent sized water changes as they tend to keep things in check.

Perhaps this is me getting too bigged down with detail which does not affect the well-being on fish in the real world?

I imagine it could, but probably not enough that's it's worth mentioning/thinking about in a well maintained tank. :)
 
BethK, have you already considered and ruled out all the different species of Steatocranus cichlids (there are about ten known currently), which includes the Lionheads? They would thrive in moderately hard water with a pH of 8 ;)
 
BethK, have you already considered and ruled out all the different species of Steatocranus cichlids (there are about ten known currently), which includes the Lionheads? They would thrive in moderately hard water with a pH of 8 ;)

see, they'd have to be ok with bettas
 
Hmmm, well this will come down to whether your Bettas regularly visit the base of your tank...

My four Lionheads are forceful without physical damage to any other fish that invade space directly outside their cave (plant pot) home. They will chase others away, especially my Garras, who love trying to take a look around their home for any uneaten Prima Discus!
laugh.gif


But away from their home, more than a few inches of sand away, they are very community spirited, more so than my Opsarius.

I guess the trickiest thing for you would be providing some decent current in an area of your tank for a Lionhead, while keeping other areas slow moving for Bettas (that is is yours have sail-like fins, which might not be a certainty if you have a female soriety)...
 
for the very short time i had my apistos, they stayed away from the bottom area, no flaring display or narkyness, they just automatically stayed off the floor, once they checked out the apistos.

so it could work, i suppose
 

Most reactions

Back
Top