Evolution Of A 70L Apistogramma Tank.

[Glass Box Diaries]

I want to document the evolution of my 70-litre (60x40x30cm) planted Apistogramma tank, starting today (the day of planting), and track how it develops over time.

The tank was dark start cycled, and my test kit is showing it’s safe, so I decided to go ahead and plant it to get things moving. I’m considering adding my Lambchop rasboras either later today or tomorrow, depending on available time, as I have them in a quarantine tank ready to move.

Since my Neocaridina shrimp are breeding heavily in my other tanks, I’m also thinking about adding some of the babies to act as clean-up crew, a natural food source, and a bit of enrichment. That said, I’ll probably wait a week or two before doing that, just in case there’s any copper spike from the new plants.

I’m planning to give the plants a few months to establish before adding the main fish, and I’m leaning towards a male Apistogramma borellii, but if all goes to plan, this should make a great home for him.

Here’s the current plant list:

• Rotala Blood Red SG
• Hygrophila polysperma
• Hygrophila compact
• Lindernia rotundifolia
• Pogostemon helferi
• Echinodorus ‘Reni’
• Echinodorus ‘Regine Hildebrandt’
• Echinodorus ‘Tricolor’
• Cryptocoryne undulata ‘Broad Leaf’
• Cryptocoryne beckettii ‘Petchii Pink’
• Aponogeton ulvaceus
• Nymphaea aquatica
• Anubias nana ‘Kirin’
• Anubias ‘Stardust’

I’m new to some of these plants, so I’m not sure what to expect in terms of their maximum size in this setup—especially since different sources give very different estimates. That said, I’m more than happy to add more plants if some of these end up staying on the smaller side.

I also have some leaf litter that I plan to place under the driftwood. It’s currently soaking in a jar to help it sink, as the filter flow was constantly pushing it around the tank, which was getting annoying.

 

[MacZ]

I also have some leaf litter that I plan to place under the driftwood. It’s currently soaking in a jar to help it sink, as the filter flow was constantly pushing it around the tank, which was getting annoying.

Place the driftwood on the bottom, so that it forms a barrier. "bridge"-scapes don't work with Apistogrammaa as a dominant fish will claim the whole of the tank in such cases.
The leaf litter will sink immediately when you pour near-boiling water over it and let it cool. You will need a steady supply of leaves anyway, depending on the tree of origin you will have to add more every 2-4 weeks.

 

[Glass Box Diaries]

The tank is 68 days old today and the plants have been in there for around a month.

I added some Lambchop Rasboras and a colony of Skittles Neocaridina shrimp but no Apistogramma yet.

Any variety of Apistogramma, never mind a Borellii is proving difficult to find in my area so I do think I will have to order one online.

There's still time, though as I want to the plants to grow in for another couple of months before I add an Apistogramma to the tank.

One thing I’m not enjoying with this setup, though, is the Centurion wood. It’s already starting to break down, and while I can siphon out the debris, it’s definitely a hassle to deal with — especially since this usually isn’t an issue with woods like spider wood, mopani wood, or corbo wood.

 

[anewbie]

It is actually better for the aquarium to just leave the bits of wood in the tank to decay. The big problem with your aquarium is lack of real structure on the bottom for the fishes to hide - this is one of my aquariums and while some would argue it is not very good or very attractive it has a complete network of caves most of the length of the aquarium - hum - it has changed a lot the past 4 months as plants have filled in a bit:

This is a section zoomed in that is more recent:

The thing is that the fishes have the ability to move the entire length of the aquarium without being seen by other fishes - now you can help the situation by putting in a bunch of leaves but of course the leaves will decay and new ones will have to be added. This aquarium is 12x30 (29 gallon).

Here is another one - in this aquarium the species is very passive and cave covering is less important:

Leaves are covering them but there are several pieces of driftwood that lay flat - the underside have grooves (natural) and the fishes can dig under them if they need to hide - over time it of course fills in with plants:

---
In truth this 2nd one is pretty weak - i did also put in a coconut cave and the female did use it which is a rarity as i do not like them and prefer using driftwood with interesting shape as caves. I have a much better one in another aquarium where it is about 2 inches tall but heavily curved making a nice cave against the glass with a narrower opening in the top and my winkelfleck immediately picked it out for her breeding spot (100 gallons).

You could get a pair forming group like nijjensi or panduro and they might do better in your setup but some of the more aggressive polygamous species are going to leave you frustrated.

 

[Glass Box Diaries]

It is actually better for the aquarium to just leave the bits of wood in the tank to decay. The big problem with your aquarium is lack of real structure on the bottom for the fishes to hide.

Yeah, the crypts, swords, and hygrophila in the foreground and midground should triple in size at least, potentially more so, hoping they can provide enough hiding spots and cover.

 

[anewbie]

Yeah, the crypts, swords, and hygrophila in the foreground and midground should triple in size at least, potentially more so, hoping they can provide enough hiding spots and cover.

They won't - just avoid an aggressive species and when you first introduce them make sure you have a fair amount of leaves on the bottom they can hide under. Once they get established there might be less aggression depending on the species.

 

[Glass Box Diaries]

They won't

Can you go into this in a little more detail, please?

How does thick plant cover that the fish can't see through not work but driftwood and rocks does?

just avoid an aggressive species.

Although it's a pain to find one, I still want Apistogramma Borellii for the tank and from what i've read on here, they arnt as aggressive as some other species of Apistogramma .

 

[MacZ]

How does thick plant cover that the fish can't see through not work but driftwood and rocks does?

Go down to the eye level of the fish (about 3-5cm above the substrate). Look through the thickets. look at how far they expand in each direction. the fish will be able to look and move through, belive it ior not they will find a way. For it to work as a barrier the fish should not be able to look past it. It takes a solid sight barrier. The fish should not be able to look or move through or under the barrier. If there is an angle from which a dominant fish can overlook a clearing it will claim said clearing. That's why most of us build barriers glass to glass and avoid bigger clearings because these will be claimed in their entirety by a dominant fish and it usually ends up claiming the whole tank, so all other dwarf cichlids in the tank are at their whim.

Then you get the usual problem: dominant fish chases and harrasses the others into hiding, chases them away from food when they come out to eat. Stress and lack of nutrition end up making them sick and you end up with a single dominant male that directly or indirectly killed their conspecifics.

Many here have been through this, we've seen it with dozens of beginners that said "naaah, it will work out, you'll see."

And what we saw: Not what people expected.

Please listen for the sake of the animals you're about to be the caretaker of.

 

[MacZ]

Although it's a pain to find one, I still want Apistogramma Borellii for the tank and from what i've read on here, they arnt as aggressive as some other species of Apistogramma .

Yes, that's true, but it if the tank is not decorated correctly even A. borellii might (not giving guarantees here) get stressed by each other. As mentioned a billion times here on the forum stress is the cause of death no. 1 for captive dwarf cichlids.

Always keep in mind: A tank is a limited space. If the fish can't escape and are sitting ducks to dominant tankmates it can be over quite quickly.

 

[anewbie]

Can you go into this in a little more detail, please?

How does thick plant cover that the fish can't see through not work but driftwood and rocks does?

As someone external to the tank you think they can't see but they can being in the middle of it also they sense movement much more acutely then you or I. Once again one of the very best hiding place is decaying leaves that are 2 to 4 inch in diameter - the larger the better. I can't tell you how frequently when a dominant fish begin to chase the less dominant simply dash under a leaf and stops moving.

 

[Glass Box Diaries]

And what we saw: Not what people expected.

Can you link me to any threads on the forum or wherever you saw this happen?

Just curious to research it

Once again one of the very best hiding place is decaying leaves that are 2 to 4 inch in diameter

Yeah, I have been stockpiling some leaves, they just aren't in the tank yet .

 

[MacZ]

Can you link me to any threads on the forum or wherever you saw this happen?

Just curious to research it

If I have the time to look them up. I was a bit less active than usual the past 2 months and I think the last one was about Dezember?

Most you will find in the health-section. Many examples that came down to this.

And about the leaves_ what are you waiting for, put them in. The earlier you start to add leaf litter the better for the tank.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Magnolia grandiflora for the leaves? I use these a lot, they are very long lasting.

Cheers Darrel

 

[Glass Box Diaries]

If I have the time to look them up. I was a bit less active than usual the past 2 months and I think the last one was about Dezember?

Most you will find in the health-section. Many examples that came down to this.

I checked and this is the only thread created in the health section in December which is about a facial growth.

Hi all,
Magnolia grandiflora for the leaves? I use these a lot, they are very long lasting.

Cheers Darrel

Yea mate, someone on UKAPS sent me some from my thread on there. By chance, theres some in the local park so going to collect a bunch of them this coming Autumn

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Yea mate, someone on UKAPS sent me some from my thread on there. By chance, theres some in the local park so going to collect a bunch of them this coming Autumn

Yes, I remember the thread now. They are evergreen, so the leaves fall off all through the year. I usually have a look every couple of weeks and pick them up before they are swept up etc.

Cheers Darrel

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

Yes, that's true, but it if the tank is not decorated correctly . .. . As mentioned a billion times here on the forum stress is the cause of death no. 1 for captive dwarf cichlids.

Always keep in mind: A tank is a limited space. If the fish can't escape and are sitting ducks to dominant tankmates it can be over quite quickly.

Honestly, we've nearly all seen this with dwarf cichlids.

A pale cichlid hides near the tank surface in a corner and is relentlessly pursued if it leaves that space. If you don't remove him or her? Death is inevitable.

Cheers Darrel

 

[MacZ]

I checked and this is the only thread created in the health section in December which is about a facial growth.

Sorry, I must have miscalculated the timeframe. I don't keep record of those things. You don't pay much attention to threads with that anymore after some time and frankly, I don't have the time to rake through the forum to find the last cases. That's why I gave you a rough timeframe and obviously my ADHD brain got the month wrong. I apologize, not a big help if you need written evidence for yourself to proecess.

Honestly, we've nearly all seen this with dwarf cichlids.

A pale cichlid hides near the tank surface in a corner and is relentlessly pursued if it leaves that space. If you don't remove him or her? Death is inevitable.

Cheers Darrel

Exactly, many here have experienced it themselves.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

..... Go down to the eye level of the fish (about 3-5cm above the substrate). Look through the thickets. look at how far they expand in each direction. the fish will be able to look and move through, belive it ior not they will find a way. For it to work as a barrier the fish should not be able to look past it.

It is this, a complex environment with "line of sight" broken in all directions.

I'm not a great fish keeper, so I need all the help I can get. I also have no interest in aesthetics, I'm very much "function over form".

cheers Darrel

 

[Mike Wise]

There are plastic plants. So why isn't there plastic leaf litter??

 

[MacZ]

So why isn't there plastic leaf litter?

I saw that in a store once. I was so confused.