Alabastine
New Member
- Messages
- 2
Hi Apisto lovers!
After the death of my Cacatuoides harem, which were my first Apistogrammas, I was looking for a new harem of Apistogrammas to add to my 80 cm (80 liters) community tank. I got in touch with a hobbyist who sold some very beatiful home-bred Apistogramma Agizisii and i found myself wanting them badly.
However, by the time I was able to go visit him and collect the apistos, he only had two males and two females left. As males alone don't sell well, he originally only wanted to sell them as pairs but since i did really want a harem he proposed to give me all four fish for the price he was originally asking for a harem.
I took this deal knowing full well that this could lead to problems in such a "small" tank, but since they have been together since birth I argued they might get used to each other a bit more than two strangers and I would also be able to sell (or give away) the second male if things would get too aggressive. I also have a DIY divider that can insert at 2/3 of the length of the tank, so I am able to seperate them might this be neccessary.
I've had these fish for a week now and based on their behaviours I would love to know what some more experienced apisto keepers think of the situation and what they would do. The fish are already sexually mature as one of the females laid eggs within days, which sadly got eaten by the largest male within hours.
So now for their behaviour in the past week:
The largest male is called Albert and is clearly the dominant fish in the tank, basically the entire tank is his territory. He behaves quite natural as far as I can tell, grazing on the bottom, impressing the females and, when it comes to it, defending his territory.
Which is where we meet Isaac, the smaller male. He ussually hangs out in about 1/4th of the tank with some thick broad leafed plants and a small rock cave but does wander of through the aquarium occasionally, grazing and interacting with females if he meets them. If he meets Albert, Albert ussually approaches him in a threatening manner and Isaac will swim away, mostly to the top of the tank. Albert will chase him for a bit until he is distracted or loses interest. Sometimes Isaac will lighten his colour appearing more like a female.
I have never actually seen them fight, but I wonder if Isaac is cool with biding his time or if he is actually very stressed out. Since this can lead to disseases ofc.
Would you guys keep both and see where it goes? Or get rid of one of the two?
After the death of my Cacatuoides harem, which were my first Apistogrammas, I was looking for a new harem of Apistogrammas to add to my 80 cm (80 liters) community tank. I got in touch with a hobbyist who sold some very beatiful home-bred Apistogramma Agizisii and i found myself wanting them badly.
However, by the time I was able to go visit him and collect the apistos, he only had two males and two females left. As males alone don't sell well, he originally only wanted to sell them as pairs but since i did really want a harem he proposed to give me all four fish for the price he was originally asking for a harem.
I took this deal knowing full well that this could lead to problems in such a "small" tank, but since they have been together since birth I argued they might get used to each other a bit more than two strangers and I would also be able to sell (or give away) the second male if things would get too aggressive. I also have a DIY divider that can insert at 2/3 of the length of the tank, so I am able to seperate them might this be neccessary.
I've had these fish for a week now and based on their behaviours I would love to know what some more experienced apisto keepers think of the situation and what they would do. The fish are already sexually mature as one of the females laid eggs within days, which sadly got eaten by the largest male within hours.
So now for their behaviour in the past week:
The largest male is called Albert and is clearly the dominant fish in the tank, basically the entire tank is his territory. He behaves quite natural as far as I can tell, grazing on the bottom, impressing the females and, when it comes to it, defending his territory.
Which is where we meet Isaac, the smaller male. He ussually hangs out in about 1/4th of the tank with some thick broad leafed plants and a small rock cave but does wander of through the aquarium occasionally, grazing and interacting with females if he meets them. If he meets Albert, Albert ussually approaches him in a threatening manner and Isaac will swim away, mostly to the top of the tank. Albert will chase him for a bit until he is distracted or loses interest. Sometimes Isaac will lighten his colour appearing more like a female.
I have never actually seen them fight, but I wonder if Isaac is cool with biding his time or if he is actually very stressed out. Since this can lead to disseases ofc.
Would you guys keep both and see where it goes? Or get rid of one of the two?
