Different styles of keeping apistos. US vs Asian

[Rod]

Really this is a bit of a pointless argument
There are great aquarists in every country... and a lot who haven't got a clue who generally make the hobby sustainable
If we all knew what we were doing the industry would stop

High tech, low tech, planted, natural... whatever....it all works
Just make a choice...then enjoy

 

[edwliang]

Really this is a bit of a pointless argument
There are great aquarists in every country... and a lot who haven't got a clue who generally make the hobby sustainable
If we all knew what we were doing the industry would stop

High tech, low tech, planted, natural... whatever....it all works
Just make a choice...then enjoy

yes, you are right. like i said, different styles. some like natural tanks, some is making an effort to change the fish. it is just because of different culture and different pursuit we have.

 

[Mike Wise]

It could also be due to the use of photo editing software.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
I'm a planted tank enthusiast, but I don't think it is the plants or the growing medium (or photo-shop, although that did make me laugh). You can definitely make fish a lot redder by feeding them food rich in astaxanthin, a "carotenoid" pigment (they also make carrots orange). Mine get a lot of live food (including Cyclops) and "Red Astax" crumb (from TA Aquaculture in the UK) and are always well coloured. They use astaxanthin (from the green alga (Chlorophyta) Haematococcus pluvialis <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haematococcus_pluvialis>), to feed Salmon, Flamingo etc and it is the compound that makes shrimps pink.

I think Ad Koning advised adding spirulina powder (and paprika?) to his cichlid "shrimp mix" as a colour enhancer (in "Enjoying Cichlids") and I think he did have picture of "with" and "without" cichlid fry. Softer water might well help as well, it certainly does with fin extension.

I think Mark (Microman) had some very colourful Apistogramma eunotus "Orangeschwanz" in the mid 2000's that he fed on Cyclopeeze? but I can't find the post anywhere.

cheers Darrel

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

After sifting(it's a mix of sand and gravel) it's realy nice subsrate for Apisto and kribs. Below photo of my 250l with P. humilis and B. nigrodorsalis

Lukasz, it isn't the sand that makes the difference, you must just think like cichlid. I always link in one of your threads (or PeterK's) if people ask what the perfect apisto tank should be like.

For newer members who haven't seen it, have a look at the "Breitbinden tank" thread. Sheer genius. <http://www.apistogramma.com/forum/index.php?threads/apistogramma-sp-breitbinden.9042/>

cheers Darrel

 

[edwliang]

Hi all,

Lukasz, it isn't the sand that makes the difference, you must just think like cichlid. I always link in one of your threads (or PeterK's) if people ask what the perfect apisto tank should be like.

For newer members who haven't seen it, have a look at the "Breitbinden tank" thread. Sheer genius. <http://www.apistogramma.com/forum/index.php?threads/apistogramma-sp-breitbinden.9042/>

cheers Darrel

it says 'The requested page could not be found.'

 

[Ruki]

it says 'The requested page could not be found.'

And now?

Darrel, you make me embarrassed . Now I'm re-arranging most of my tanks(after 8 months long fight with Ichthyophonus hoferi) so when I'm done I'll update my threads.

 

[edwliang]

And now?

Darrel, you make me embarrassed . Now I'm re-arranging most of my tanks(after 8 months long fight with Ichthyophonus hoferi) so when I'm done I'll update my threads.

nope, still cannot connect that link Darrel provided.

 

[hedylogus]

delete ">" from the end of the link.

 

[edwliang]

delete ">" from the end of the link.

yes!!!!! thanks a lot.

 

[edwliang]

still, i cannot read Ruki's pictures, but i can read Tom C's regarding that link Darrel provided: http://www.apistogramma.com/forum/index.php?threads/apistogramma-sp-breitbinden.9042/

 

[gerald]

Apistos in soft water grow longer fin rays ? How/why does that work?

Softer water might well help as well, it certainly does with fin extension.
cheers Darrel

 

[Mike Wise]

I don't know if this is true for all apisto species, but seems to be true for some. For example, populations of A. trifasciata from Argentina, where the water is more neutral to alkaline and less soft, tend to have shorter dorsal fin extensions than populations from the Pantanal of Brazil/Bolivia, where the water is more acidic and much softer. A. trifasciata bred and raised in aquariums with softer water tend to have longer fin extensions than the same in tanks with harder water. It doesn't seem to be related to location of the original stock, either. This is all anecdotal. I know of no controlled tests.