New to me 125

[Myersc1989]

So I just picked up a 125 off Facebook. I am a completely impulsive and impatient person, but I want to do this one right. 

First things first, I need to build a stand with very basic skills at carpentry. I've got 16 - 96" 2x6 pressure treated lumber, and just need to get some plywood. I'm thinking something nicer in plywood since it will be in my living room. 

I've got most the occupants thought out

6x apistogramma nijsseni "panda"

6-8 x super red/long fin albino bristlenose, person in my club has ancistrus "Rio Ucayali" might use these just to keep it more biotopie.

10 gold laser corydora

50-75 cardinal tetras

I want to do a blackwater scape with some amazon swords and maybe some anubias, they are really grown onto the wood I have. I also want to use a lot of terrestrial plants out of the top. How do I keep the plants secured out the top. I already have burle marx philodendrom, monstera, pothos, and wandering... do I need to just make sure wood sticks out of tank?

I live in the Seattle area and out of tap I'd around 6.5 most of the time. I'm thinking of doing blackwater with just a crap-ton of crushed coral in the filter. I will be using a fx6 and maybe a fx4. Mostly because I have both.

How do you determine how much botanical to add. And if you start without fish can you just load the tank up?

This is my first journal and value any input. I want to encourage colony type breeding while also doing it only for the joy of it.

[macdaddy36]

This seems like a great plan and that It will be a great tank!

3 pairs of Apistogramma, especially nijsseni in a 125 still might have some issues. I have A. panduro, which are members of the same complex and are very closely related to njisseni and I would hesitate to put more than one pair in any tank less than 4 feet. You have a 6 foot tank (I think), so I would think that you could probably get away with it. I have never kept my panduro with other apistos but so far the have attacked (and done damage to): Honey Gourami and each other, and killed Beckford's Pencilfish, guppies and endlers. In such a large tank, especially one with decent height your tank mates will probably be fine (except for maybe the corys, but probably fine)

I say you try the 3 pairs. Make sure to add them all at the same time and build sufficient cover and territorial boundaries. Also, continue to monitor them even after they have settled in, as when they mature and start breeding their aggression can increase.

Most importantly, make sure you have a backup plan if there are issues.

@anewbie has more experience with apistogramma in large tank than I do, so they will probably have more advice.

Edited April 16 by macdaddy36

[Myersc1989]

I currently already have them in a 60 gallon, 4' tank. There is a lot of coverage and tons of caves. I'm a heavy feeder and they are still young, just now starting to show true colors. Weirdly it seems at this point I have 3 pairs! No issues yet and it's been around 5 months, but I will of course keep an eye on it. 

[macdaddy36]

If its working in a 60 gallon you should be good.

Have fun with it and when you have some time I’d love to see you post some pictures of the njisseni!

[Myersc1989]

Funny I just took one yesterday. I'm pretty sure this is a male.

[MattyM]

I would give it a good leak test while you are figuring all this out. 

[jwcarlson]

Personally, unless you know very well how old the tank is, I think I'd reseal it.  I just resealed a 125 this past winter and it was easier than resealing a 29.  Big enough that you can get in there and pull/clean the old silicone, tape off seams, etc.  

I, too, would have reservations putting that many breeding pairs of anything cichlid in a single tank without physical dividers.  Even pairs of apistos have periodic spats with each other depending on what's going on in the tank.

[anewbie]

On 4/15/2024 at 7:54 PM, macdaddy36 said:

This seems like a great plan and that It will be a great tank!

3 pairs of Apistogramma, especially nijsseni in a 125 still might have some issues. I have A. panduro, which are members of the same complex and are very closely related to njisseni and I would hesitate to put more than one pair in any tank less than 4 feet. You have a 6 foot tank (I think), so I would think that you could probably get away with it. I have never kept my panduro with other apistos but so far the have attacked (and done damage to): Honey Gourami and each other, and killed Beckford's Pencilfish, guppies and endlers. In such a large tank, especially one with decent height your tank mates will probably be fine (except for maybe the corys, but probably fine)

I say you try the 3 pairs. Make sure to add them all at the same time and build sufficient cover and territorial boundaries. Also, continue to monitor them even after they have settled in, as when they mature and start breeding their aggression can increase.

Most importantly, make sure you have a backup plan if there are issues.

@anewbie has more experience with apistogramma in large tank than I do, so they will probably have more advice.

I wouldn't do it; panduro are one of the more aggressive species can can claim 4+ feet of territory. Doesn't mean they will but why play with fire. 

 

I have a pair of a. lineta and several blue rams in my discus aquarium (6 feet long 2 feet wide); and while a. lineta are relatively passive i can tell you they never object to taking a cheap shot at the rams. 

There are more passive species than panduro which might work so if you really want more than 2 panduro (or any other dwarf cichild) i'd look for a more passive species. Having said that you can get a nice pair of panduro and then throw in some larger cichild that hangs closer to the top of the aquarium.

--

Btw you also should not mix cory with panduro. Panduro like to establish territory and tell others to stay out - this territory will be near the bottom - cory do not understand territory so everytime they enter the panduro area the panduro might take a shot at them - and on occasion might even poke an eye out here and there.

-

As it goes with individual fishes you can never tell how it will work out but you should not be surprise if things go badly. 

Btw if you do go with more than one pair make sure you add lots of leaf littler for them to hide under and feed them in multiple locations so they aren't forced to visit each other territory.

 

[macdaddy36]

On 4/16/2024 at 8:01 PM, anewbie said:

I wouldn't do it; panduro are one of the more aggressive species can can claim 4+ feet of territory. Doesn't mean they will but why play with fire. 

 

I have a pair of a. lineta and several blue rams in my discus aquarium (6 feet long 2 feet wide); and while a. lineta are relatively passive i can tell you they never object to taking a cheap shot at the rams. 

There are more passive species than panduro which might work so if you really want more than 2 panduro (or any other dwarf cichild) i'd look for a more passive species. Having said that you can get a nice pair of panduro and then throw in some larger cichild that hangs closer to the top of the aquarium.

--

Btw you also should not mix cory with panduro. Panduro like to establish territory and tell others to stay out - this territory will be near the bottom - cory do not understand territory so everytime they enter the panduro area the panduro might take a shot at them - and on occasion might even poke an eye out here and there.

-

As it goes with individual fishes you can never tell how it will work out but you should not be surprise if things go badly. 

Btw if you do go with more than one pair make sure you add lots of leaf littler for them to hide under and feed them in multiple locations so they aren't forced to visit each other territory.

 

@Myersc1989 has njisseni, not panduro. I was just using my experience with panduro as an example because I know they are closely related.

Does everything you said about the panduro still apply to njisseni?

[anewbie]

On 4/16/2024 at 7:54 PM, macdaddy36 said:

@Myersc1989 has njisseni, not panduro. I was just using my experience with panduro as an example because I know they are closely related.

Does everything you said about the panduro still apply to njisseni?

Yes; to my limited knowledge they are very simliar in behavior. The general philosophy you can keep so many together that they can't really establish a large area and the aggression gets spread; but if just a couple of pairs (or three) i would expect sooner or later the weaker ones to get kicked out (i.e, killed) but who knows maybe they will find harmony. Having said that there are better species for this sort of thing. i have 5 krobia (2 pairs and an odd one out) in a 120 and they pretty much get along. Borelli is a species that some folks put in a colony (though i would not keep just a couple of group as that is more likely to leave a weak fish open to attack. a. winkelfleck might work in a large group (again just a couple of males is more likely to result in the weak ones being eliminated). I had a pair of nijjensi for a couple of years but i kept them alone. They are nice fishes (mine were true f1); Anyway an attempt is made to keep them lots of leaves are really helpful as the fishes will swim under them - just make sure they are large and not laid flat against the bottom - you want drift wood or stones to make them hang at angles - and as they decay add new ones. I do have a group of 8 a. bitatina in a 4ftx4ft cube. My configuration is 3 males and 5 females (nijjensi are pair forming while bitatina are harem breeders). 

 

Anyway can't hurt to try it just don't be upset if after a year you only have 1 pair left; and it works great !

 

--

I was re-reading op original post and there are a number of other issues i see:

first pleco don't mix with apisto either - same reason a cory. tetra will eat frys - if you don't care about frys why get male and female? There was mentioned ot putting crushed coral in the filter - yet wanting blackwater. crush coral is the opposite it makes the water harder while blackwater is all about soft acidic water. You might want to add peat to the filter (use filter bags); but definitely not coral.

--

If you want biotope most pleco like strong currents while most apisto are found in area with reduce current. Anyway not sure of your objective. 

Oh and to answer your question - yea you can just laod the tank up with leaves et all. Initially the water are will be very dark like this:

 

 

but over time after a large number or water changes it will lighten up.

 

 

 

Edited April 17 by anewbie