What can go with my A. Macmasteri ?

[Elisabeth83]

I have a 30 gallon that I have an A. Macmasteri in with 6 white cloud minnows. I'm thinking of getting rid of the minnows as they are just too nippy and fast ..it takes away from my Mcmasteri I think.

So what are some good sized tankmates that arn't too fast and arn't aggressive?

 

[Katchan]

leave the minnows they make good dither fish, if possible ad a mate or two (apistos tend to harem breeders but in a 30 I'd go for 2 girls/1 boy) otherwise some other fish are

-livebearers
-angels
-gourami/Labyrinth fish
-catfish (bristlenose/corydorus)
-tetra's
-single butterfly ram/krib (target fish)



dither fish= a fish used for the task of reassuring timid fish that it ok to come from hiding as there are no predators about.

target fish= a fish used for the purpose of lessening aggresion between two possible mates to have them focus their engeries on the target fish (not a good idea for blue rams or other touchy fish for this role)

Hope that helps some

Katchan

PS remember apistos like caves, also use plento of plants (real or otherwise)

 

[Elisabeth83]

Thanks so much for replying

Ok I'll leave the white clouds..I don't think I could give them up anyways they have some really nice colors.

I'd like to get my male some females but I haven't seen any around. I also read that with getting females a lot of problems can arise like a lot of bullying and aggression? It sure is the case with my rams If I can find some females I will get them and try them anyways. I think my male is older though so I'm a little afraid he might be set in his ways

killifish would work well wouldn't they? I was also thinking of getting some otos for the algae.

Would any type of gourami work? Like Honey gouramis?

 

[freddyk]

By all means you can and should consider getting him a female if you can find some. To make it work you'll want to get several females because you are right, there will certainly be aggression as things are sorted out, and more fish to distribute the aggression helps a lot. Cichlids only truly shine when they're kept in spawning pairs/harems - otherwise you'll never see them at their best, both with color and behavior.

Only get a gourami if you are sure that you don't want or can't find more Apisto's to go with the one you have - a gourami is not a good fish for a tank with a breeding group of cichlids.

Also, cichlids should not be used as 'target' fish - the heightened stress in the tank will only end up causing problems. The best 'target' fish are ones that live in groups, where no single particular fish will get singled out.

 

[Elisabeth83]

I bought him from my lfs after I saw him on one of the bottom tanks. He was alone and the people working there didn't even know he was there or how he got there as they don't sell apistos So I grabbed him up. I've had him for about 1 1/2 - 2 months now. I feel bad for him being all alone. I have went to a couple different shops that sell apistos looking for a couple females for him but they didn't have any in at the time

So how many females should I get him that can fit comfortably in a 30 gallon? Can I fit anything else in the tank besides the white clouds? What can I expect when I add some females to the tank? I'm just afraid that there will be a lot of agression and chasing going on if I add females? I'm dealing with some issues with my rams at the moment trying to get them to pair up so if I got him females would I expect something like that? Possible having to seperate them? Are the Mcmasteris aggressive during breeding? Will females have to be moved out of the tank? Are you sure I can't just get him 1 female? I was just reading the pinned topic that in a tank around 20 gallons the 3rd or weaker female will get harassed and chased to death. I don't want to deal with that

Sorry for all the questions )

 

[Katchan]

Only get a gourami if you are sure that you don't want or can't find more Apisto's to go with the one you have - a gourami is not a good fish for a tank with a breeding group of cichlids.

[snapback]884732[/snapback]​

In my experience this depends more on tank size, I dont keep 3 spot or pearl gourami in anything less than 40gallon tanks

Also, cichlids should not be used as 'target' fish - the heightened stress in the tank will only end up causing problems. The best 'target' fish are ones that live in groups, where no single particular fish will get singled out.

[snapback]884732[/snapback]​

In a well set up tank (lots of plants/hiding places) using a similar type of fish is more likely to work than a schooling fish as it is seen a direct competitor not a possible problem if breding occurs, butterfly rams, kribs (both very robust) or hardy apistos (female euontus for me) have worked well for me here.

Blue ram behaviour v's apisto behaviour is very different as far a male/female interaction, rams are much more intamate where apistos just like to tart around all their girls, so aggression to a single one is limited, with the use of a dither fish you would probably find your rams settle down

HTH

katchan

 

[Katchan]

Ok just saw your last post in a 30 gallon I'd go for 2 females, working on the 1' diameter per female are, 3 would probably be pusing it. female may get aggressive to the male after breeding but in a 30 I wouldn't expect it to be a problem, more so with lots of plants etc. This is opposite to rams where the male can get aggressive to the male and steal the fry, with a harem to take care of whos got time for kids? You would have more of a problem with female stealing each others fry (yes this happens). i'm not sure of the exact dimension for a 30, but maybe a BN or 2 plus maybe more white clouds or similar small fish, but no more bottom dwellers.

Andrew

 

[Elisabeth83]

Yeah right now my rams are seperated. The female ram is in a 30 gallon and the male is shacking it up in a 14.5 gallon bachelor pad with a male betta smaragdina who's girl has started to abuse him Oh the dramas!!

I didn't have a dither fish in with my rams before I was thinking of adding about 5-6 dwarf neon rainbows to the tank will those work as dither fish for the rams?

Alright so if I get 2 females for the male my tank is pretty much stocked Is a 30 gallon bare minimum for a trio?

So with the apistos I shouldn't expect them to act in any way like the rams? This is my first apisto so it's all new for me. I tried kribs a little while ago but realized they were too agressive for me. I then decided to try apistos instead as I read they were pretty easy going cichlids.