Your opinion on my next pair of fish

[gwand]

This Friday I am selling 15 Apistogramma cacatuoides. The 20 gallon long tank will no longer have cockatoos, only 12 n. backfordi. I have another tank to keep breeding cockatoos. I would like to add a pair of fish come spring. Here are some of my potential choices. I have never kept any of them nor have I seen them live. I have been reading up on all of them. I will only choose one pair to join the beckfordi. Your opinions will help me with my choice. Please include comments on behavior and appearance.

Nannacara anomala
Ivanacara bimaculata
Laetacara dorsigera
Laetacara araguaiae

Thanks

 

[Rusty_Shackleford]

I'm gonna throw a wrench into your plans.
Dicrossus. Several species to choose from. D. maculatus, D. filamentosus, D. foirni, D. gladicauda, D. warzeli.
All are small, 1-3 inches, can be kept in groups, like blackwater conditions and you're already an expert in that.
These fishes are woefully underrepresented in the hobby.

 

[gwand]

I'm gonna throw a wrench into your plans.
Dicrossus. Several species to choose from. D. maculatus, D. filamentosus, D. foirni, D. gladicauda, D. warzeli.
All are small, 1-3 inches, can be kept in groups, like blackwater conditions and you're already an expert in that.
These fishes are woefully underrepresented in the hobby.

Thanks. I will go read up.

 

[fishorama]

Hmm, I never kept any of those, but I do like most laetacara. Dorsigera are fairly common & very pretty, I haven't seen the other 1. Might be a better resale bet?

 

[anewbie]

D. maculatus is probably the nicest of the bunch but they really aren't temperature compatible with the pencil fishes - they are closer to rams. 80 is probably a good compromise - also they do best in blackwater and they are not small - a 40b would be a better option. I have a couple in a 180 with my discus - they are real beauties but lean on the delicate side though tank raised specimen might be more adaptable (they are technically clear water which is 0 kh but higher mineral content - maybe 1 gh or ec 50ish). filamentosus are simliar (different shape tail):

Dicrossus filamentosus | Tropical Fish Hobbyist Magazine

The checkerboard dwarf cichlid (Dicrossus filamentosus) packs a big personality into a little package. Here's what we know about this playful fish.

www.tfhmagazine.com

They are really pretty fishes but also can be quite vicious esp when competing for females. One of these days i'll setup a dedicated 40b for some - two of the males in the 180 are doing well but their breeding dress is truely a sight to behold.
--
wc Laetacara dorsigera are awesome and inexpensive
-
i've not had much success with cz tank raised nannacara (most common); but if you can find a hobby bred pair they are also awesome - they come in several different forms from deep blue to green. By far the smartest fish i've ever owned. Really clever devil was amazing to watch him deal with new situations and work out solutions.
-
Ivanacara bimaculata - these guys are incredibly passive - true community fish - will require blackwater like conditions to breed successfully - also even though they have not been around long it seems the frys being produced didn't get properly trained by their parents. Again if you can find some locally hobby bred one where the frys were raised with the parents would be a plus.
--
I believe all these fishes are pair forming 'cept the dicrossus but you really only want 1m 1f in a 40b given their size and aggression level.

 

[gwand]

That is helpful. Thanks.