Apistogramma Requirements

[James V.]

Hello everyone!

I really want to get some Apistogrammas for a 20 gallon long that I am setting up.

The only thing is, I’m not sure if my water will work for them? These are my parameters

ph7.0

kh 8

gh 11

Can they live in this water? Will they thrive? Do you have any advice for a newbie for this fish? Also can rummynose tetras and corys  live with them? Thanks for your help!

Edited September 8, 2020 by James V.

[shkote]

I have Macmasteri and Cacatouides in a ph of around 7.8 with much harder water. They are well and healthy. I thought I had 2 female triple reds, but one turned out to be male. They just paired up and are trying to spawn. Not sure anything will come of it in such hard water, but the fact that they're trying tells me that they're happy enough. I can't advise on tank mates though as I have mine species only, but the 2 that have paired up have become extremely aggressive towards any snails that come near their cave. 

[BNye]

In my opinion they should be able to thrive in your water. My advice would be to maintain consistency in water parameters rather than chasing a certain pH or other parameters. You may be able to keep a group of some corys depending on the adult size of the ones you want. I wouldn't do rummynose AND corys since they both need to be kept in a group of around 6+ so the bioload on the 20 long may be heavy. If it were me I would just do a pair of Appistos and a group of pygmy corys and plant up the 20 long. Good Luck I love my Appistos.

[Paul]

3 hours ago, James V. said:

Hello everyone!

I really want to get some Apistogrammas for a 20 gallon long that I am setting up.

The only thing is, I’m not sure if my water will work for them? These are my parameters

ph7.0

kh 8

gh 11

Can they live in this water? Will they thrive? Do you have any advice for a newbie for this fish? Also can rummynose tetras and corys  live with them? Thanks for your help!

You’ll be fine. Most Apistogrammas like their water warm, think Discus warm. In their own tank I keep them at 82F but they’re equally happy in my Discus tank @ 85F. Good luck.

[Bill Smith]

Agreed, on not chasing the water parameters.

I find that any fish I can get at my LFS I don't worry about it, unless they are applying special parameters, like discus.

[James V.]

Thanks for the advice so far everyone!

i also wanted to ask. Should I get a pair, or a trio? Or does it matter? What’s your experience?

[Daniel]

I don't think it really matters. Both work just fine. The most important thing is to get healthy well conditioned fish. And I agree with everyone one above on not chasing water parameters.

[Ken Burke]

I’m also setting up an apisto breeding project. Have not found the fish yet, but hope the lfs will get some soon.  
 

Have a apisto cave coming.  Some most java moss.  Thoughts?

[gcalberto]

45 minutes ago, Ken Burke said:

I’m also setting up an apisto breeding project. Have not found the fish yet, but hope the lfs will get some soon.  
 

Have a apisto cave coming.  Some most java moss.  Thoughts?

You will want to keep your breeding pair by themselves if you want to save as many fry as possible. Other than that your setup looks good 

[Ken Burke]

I pulled several plates from my summer tub enroute to lfs.  
 

thanks

[James V.]

What Clean up crew would you guys suggest for this tank? With just Apistos.

[Paul]

@Ken Burke I’ve had good luck finding Apistos on AquaBid. @James V. Corys work well for me. They also come from the same waters so they’ll be happy with the same parameters.

[gcalberto]

13 minutes ago, James V. said:

What Clean up crew would you guys suggest for this tank? With just Apistos.

I wouldn't do anything other than small snails (nothing bigger than a nerite snail) if I wanted to breed the apistos. 

I also have a heavily planted 10 gallon aquarium with a pair of apistogramma agassizii and cherri shrimp. It's probably an exception, but they seem to get along just fine and the colony keeps getting bigger, so at least some shimplets are surviving. 

If, however, you don't plan on breeding the apistos, or at least you don't necessarily want to have as many fry as possible survive, then corys, otos, plecos and pretty much anything that won't eat or be eaten by the adult apistos should do 

[James V.]

Can you fit a Bristlenose in a 20 gallon?

If I just had him with the Apistos would he eat fry?

[James V.]

2 hours ago, Paul said:

@Ken Burke I’ve had good luck finding Apistos on AquaBid. @James V. Corys work well for me. They also come from the same waters so they’ll be happy with the same parameters.

How much on average would you say a pair of Apistos are on Aquabid? Including shipping

[Paul]

14 hours ago, James V. said:

How much on average would you say a pair of Apistos are on Aquabid? Including shipping

@James V. AquaBid is an auction site so prices vary depending on species and the # of bidders. Shipping varies by the seller, who the shipping co they use is, the service level and the weight of the pkg. I suggest you check out the AquaBid site (it’s free) and follow some auctions, read the sellers blurb on the fish and shipping costs. When you’re ready register and bid on the fish you’re interested in. 

[ccurtis]

Since we are on this topic I have a question. I currently have some Bolivian Rams in my community 125 and I love them. I know they are a little easier to care for than other species. If like to keep some apistos in a tank I have set up, but I was curious if you can keep German blue rams or German blue balloon rams with apistos. I’m not looking to breed. I just think they would look pretty neat together. 

[Paul]

41 minutes ago, ccurtis said:

Since we are on this topic I have a question. I currently have some Bolivian Rams in my community 125 and I love them. I know they are a little easier to care for than other species. If like to keep some apistos in a tank I have set up, but I was curious if you can keep German blue rams or German blue balloon rams with apistos. I’m not looking to breed. I just think they would look pretty neat together. 

@ccurtis Apistos and Rams favor the same area of your tank, the bottom, so there may be some chasing.  With that being said I grew out a pair of Apistogramma caucatoides in a 29 with 6 German Blues without many issues. Remember they are both cichlids. 

[James V.]

Getting my tank set up for my Apistos! Here is a picture of the tank I’m going to put them in.       (I can’t get the picture to be right side up sorry) 🤣

Also my day ended great, with an order from the co-op.

 

[Leo2o915]

On 9/8/2020 at 4:40 PM, BNye said:

In my opinion they should be able to thrive in your water. My advice would be to maintain consistency in water parameters rather than chasing a certain pH or other parameters. You may be able to keep a group of some corys depending on the adult size of the ones you want. I wouldn't do rummynose AND corys since they both need to be kept in a group of around 6+ so the bioload on the 20 long may be heavy. If it were me I would just do a pair of Appistos and a group of pygmy corys and plant up the 20 long. Good Luck I love my Appistos.

Hmm setting up my new fluval flex 15 and want to do apistos debating if it’s worth doing sand or if I can do so fluval stratum for the plants? 

[Leo2o915]

On 9/11/2020 at 6:05 PM, gcalberto said:

I wouldn't do anything other than small snails (nothing bigger than a nerite snail) if I wanted to breed the apistos. 

I also have a heavily planted 10 gallon aquarium with a pair of apistogramma agassizii and cherri shrimp. It's probably an exception, but they seem to get along just fine and the colony keeps getting bigger, so at least some shimplets are surviving. 

If, however, you don't plan on breeding the apistos, or at least you don't necessarily want to have as many fry as possible survive, then corys, otos, plecos and pretty much anything that won't eat or be eaten by the adult apistos should do 

So you think adding shrimp should be fine if it’s heavily planted ? Would like to add some rocks for the shrimp If I do so they can hide 

[James V.]

44 minutes ago, Leo2o915 said:

Hmm setting up my new fluval flex 15 and want to do apistos debating if it’s worth doing sand or if I can do so fluval stratum for the plants? 

 

41 minutes ago, Leo2o915 said:

So you think adding shrimp should be fine if it’s heavily planted ? Would like to add some rocks for the shrimp If I do so they can hide 

I have no experience with this, I’m trying Apistos out for the first time. But! I can tell you what I think, and am planning on trying.

I haven’t ever used a planted substrate before but I definitely want to try it. So I got some eco-complete for my Apistos and I’m going to see how it works out, I think it will work out great!

I also want to try shrimp with them. I plan on setting up a colony in a separate 10 gallon Tank, so that if some of the shrimp get eaten I can add more and more until they are able to get their numbers stable with the apistos.

these are my plans and experiments I want to try, and I hope I can pull some of it off.

Edited September 17, 2020 by James V.

[Leo2o915]

36 minutes ago, James V. said:

 

I have no experience with this, I’m trying Apistos out for the first time. But! I can tell you what I think, and am planning on trying.

I haven’t ever used a planted substrate before but I definitely want to try it. So I got some eco-complete for my Apistos and I’m going to see how it works out, I think it will work out great!

I also want to try shrimp with them. I plan on setting up a colony in a separate 10 gallon Tank, so that if some of the shrimp get eaten I can add more and more until they are able to get their numbers stable with the apistos.

these are my plans and experiments I want to try, and I hope I can pull some of it off.

I have a colony in my 20 long so might try that after I get that running was also thinking of doing a pea puffer tank instead 

[gcalberto]

4 hours ago, Leo2o915 said:

So you think adding shrimp should be fine if it’s heavily planted ? Would like to add some rocks for the shrimp If I do so they can hide 

Well, it has worked for me for the past year or so, but probably depends on the personality of the fish. Mine don't see grown shrimp as food. They usually don't bother with them as long as they don't get too close to their territory. If they do, then the pair will flare and try to bite them, but it doesn't seem to hurt the shrimp 

Edited September 17, 2020 by gcalberto

[Travis]

17 hours ago, Leo2o915 said:

Hmm setting up my new fluval flex 15 and want to do apistos debating if it’s worth doing sand or if I can do so fluval stratum for the plants? 

You could do stratum in the back half and make a barrier of small rocks to keep it back there and then do sand in the front half. Or maybe island of stratum with sand around...now I want to do this.