A. macmasteri Biotope Info

[Mazan]

If you intend to breed the Apistogrammas, then yes it would be better to omit the tetras, to avoid stress for the female trying to defend the fry. Also in that case you should position the wood as MacZ suggested so that it makes more of a line of sight break across the middle (approx), so that the male and female can more easily avoid each other if or when necessary. The N. eques would probably be Ok with them.

On the other hand if you are not interested in breeding and want it as a display tank replicating the natural biotope as far as possible, then it would be better just to have the single male Apistogramma, then you could have both the tetras and the pencilfish without any problems.

 

[MacZ]

If you intend to breed the Apistogrammas, then yes it would be better to omit the tetras, to avoid stress for the female trying to defend the fry. Also in that case you should position the wood as MacZ suggested so that it makes more of a line of sight break across the middle (approx), so that the male and female can more easily avoid each other if or when necessary. The N. eques would probably be Ok with them.

On the other hand if you are not interested in breeding and want it as a display tank replicating the natural biotope as far as possible, then it would be better just to have the single male Apistogramma, then you could have both the tetras and the pencilfish without any problems.

Nothing to add besides Mike's Mantra: A display tank is not a breeding tank.

 

[luisramos126]

If you intend to breed the Apistogrammas, then yes it would be better to omit the tetras, to avoid stress for the female trying to defend the fry. Also in that case you should position the wood as MacZ suggested so that it makes more of a line of sight break across the middle (approx), so that the male and female can more easily avoid each other if or when necessary. The N. eques would probably be Ok with them.

On the other hand if you are not interested in breeding and want it as a display tank replicating the natural biotope as far as possible, then it would be better just to have the single male Apistogramma, then you could have both the tetras and the pencilfish without any problems.

Thanks for the suggestion!
So in this case, I want to breed them, so I will be omitting the tetras.
What about the Hatchetfish? Well, for now I am ordering just a pair of A. macmasteri and later the N. eques.

 

[anewbie]

Thanks for the suggestion!
So in this case, I want to breed them, so I will be omitting the tetras.
What about the Hatchetfish? Well, for now I am ordering just a pair of A. macmasteri and later the N. eques.

hatchet fish would work if the smaller variety like marbles but they are proficient and constant jumpers so you might take that into account.

 

[luisramos126]

hatchet fish would work if the smaller variety like marbles but they are proficient and constant jumpers so you might take that into account.

Thanks for the advice!
So for now, just the apistogrammas and pencil fish.

 

[luisramos126]

Update!

 

[MacZ]

I expected you would layer the sand horizontally. With that slope you took away the sight blocks completely. I would really not put in a "pair". I'd give the female only a few weeks if she's not immediately ready to breed.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

With that slope you took away the sight blocks completely.

Agreed, it will flatten out over time anyway. You just don't need that much depth of sand if you don't have any plants planted in the substrate.

I don't have any <"aquariums without plants"> (and I never will), but Water Lettuce <"Pistia stratiotes would be biotope acceptable">, and a floating plant.

Personally I'd add <"Amazon Frogbit"> (Limnobium laevigatum), but I may not be an entirely <"objective observer">.

cheers Darrel

 

[luisramos126]

With that slope you took away the sight blocks completely.

Thanks MacZ, the slope is gone! I removed the bags of gravel holding the sand, and the sand sank. So, I must wait until the water clears to arrange the sand.

I don't have any <"aquariums without plants"> (and I never will), but Water Lettuce <"Pistia stratiotes would be biotope acceptable">, and a floating plant.

Personally I'd add <"Amazon Frogbit"> (Limnobium laevigatum), but I may not be an entirely <"objective observer">.

Thanks Darrel, I am planing to use Frogbit as a floating plant, some amazon swords (Echinodorus grisebachii), microswords (Helanthium tenellum), and Althernanthera reineckii.

 

[luisramos126]

Update!
Slope gone, sand arranged, and filled with water.

Plant: (2) Echinodorus grisebachii

Next: Helanthium tenellum, and Alternanthera reineckii

 

[MacZ]

Looks far better.

Now I just hope you get decent A. macmasteri and not one of the overbred domestic colour breeds.

You probably should get some emersed plants to fix to the back glass, maybe a small species of Monstera or something like that, and floaters. Or go for Hydrocotyle leucocephala. Because right now the tank is bound to egt into problems unless you get sufficient consumers of Nitrates and such.

 

[anewbie]

I should have said this sooner but i would not worry so much about line of sight issues as 90% of the time mine just hide under leaves providing you add new ones as the old ones decay. It helps that i use some fairly large leaves (full size captaca (sp) leaves.

I do have criss cross large drift wood in the larger aquariums (those larger than 29) and which makes nice caves much as you do. And mac are not the most vicious species out there though of course there will be lots of chasing.

 

[luisramos126]

Looks far better.

Now I just hope you get decent A. macmasteri and not one of the overbred domestic colour breeds.

You probably should get some emersed plants to fix to the back glass, maybe a small species of Monstera or something like that, and floaters. Or go for Hydrocotyle leucocephala. Because right now the tank is bound to egt into problems unless you get sufficient consumers of Nitrates and such.

Thanks MacZ.

My plans are to get some Eleocharis sp. (giant) for the back. Also, I am going to add some frogbits and I can add some monstera. What about some water lettuce or Hyacinth ? Also, my filter is cycled, it's an old running filter that I had, so hope fully I don't get those nitrates spikes.

I should have said this sooner but i would not worry so much about line of sight issues as 90% of the time mine just hide under leaves providing you add new ones as the old ones decay. It helps that i use some fairly large leaves (full size captaca (sp) leaves

Thanks for your feedback!

Latest update!

 

[MacZ]

Also, my filter is cycled, it's an old running filter that I had, so hope fully I don't get those nitrates spikes.

You're mixing up Nitrate and Nitrite. Thing is, when any nitrogen compounds accumulate they are dissolved as nitric acids which are stronger than humic substances, resulting in rather inconvenient pH fluctuations. But much worse they raise conductivity which we simply do not want to have.

 

[Mazan]

What about some water lettuce or Hyacinth ?

Water lettuce yes, but I think water hyacinth will be too big for your tank, as well as the part above water they have massive roots.