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Advice needed on apisto stock!

Lpetrone

New Member
Messages
8
Hello everyone! My first post here and I’m trying to gain as much knowledge before stocking my tank.
tank is 33 gallon 32.5” long planted pretty heavily
With lots of rocks and driftwood

I’m interested in stocking it with the following:
2 double red cockatoo’s
2 Apistogramma baenschi
2 Apistogramma allpahuayo

probably all males

is this a bad idea?
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
If this was a tank for Malawi cichlids, I'd say an all male tank is fine. That concept is pretty normal with rift lake cichlids.

But what I could gather and observe about the behaviour of Apistogramma, this sounds like a less good idea. There is a reason you don't hear about that kind of stocking.
 

Flyfan

New Member
Messages
11
I've got two MacMasteri males, not siblings, that were raised since young together in a 10g tank. They were always so non-aggressive towards each other, that I thought they were a pair until they matured. They were moved to a larger tank and remain friendly. With that said, I still think 6 males of three different types, in that size tank, is probably not the best of ideas. If you do, I would recommend getting them young. Of course then, sexing them is the hardest part.
 

Ben Rhau

Apisto Club
Messages
566
Location
San Francisco
I think a mix of different-looking species (different body shape) is OK. Multiple males of the same species will see each other as competition.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
It really depends on how densely decorated the tank is and how many territories it can contain. I will say that you probably will lose several fish to aggression. Any apisto you see hovering at the surface of the tank has no territory and should quickly be removed for its own safety.
 

Lpetrone

New Member
Messages
8
ok thank you all for the info. one more question, would two males be able to be kept together in a 33gal long? or would i be better off with one male and a couple of females?

also can they be kept with german blue rams?
 

Lpetrone

New Member
Messages
8

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
Also could I keep one male cockatoo with some female BAENSCHI?

You are aware the females don't have the black and yellow colouration permanently?
While mixing males is already not the best idea in my opinion, mixing different species and sexes really pushes it.
Do you have any regard for the behaviour and needs of the fish, or are you just going by looks?
 

Lpetrone

New Member
Messages
8
Yes I know nothing about these fish and am going by what looks nice. That is why I’m here, to gain a little knowledge
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
Then my advise in short for dwarf cichlids: Research the fishes behaviour and necessary conditions. There are websites dedicated to Apistogramma, Wikipedia has more than one article detailing the necessary tank-specifics needed and even Aquarium-Coop just uploaded a video on Youtube about Apistogramma tanks a few weeks ago that can be used as baseline info.

And by all means: Never only go by looks. That's got to stand back until you are sure you know the general needs of the genus.

And please don't take this personal. Apistogramma are by no means fish for absolute beginners.
 

Lpetrone

New Member
Messages
8
I appreciate all the info. I definitely don’t want to harm any fish!

I do believe my tank is ready to handle a male cockatoo.

could you give me some advice on what would be a good selection to finish stocking the tank?
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
Allright then, those are reasonable questions.

Do you have a picture of the tank? That would help a lot with fine tuning.

I'd go with a pair of Apistos and a school of maybe 10 of some kind of tetra as dither fish. That would be all.
 

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