Agassizii question

[Jasonmc89]

Hi everyone,

I’ve currently got a Rio Negro based tank. Inhabitants include tucano tetras, cardinals, false rummynose, adolphoi cories and checkerboard cichlids.

I really like Agassizii apistos but I can’t find a Rio Negro colour morph for sale.

Now I know that Agassizii are very polymorphic in nature, so some variation can be expected, and that they are found all over the Amazon region.

My local shop has double reds for sale. Where would the “double red” morph be found in nature, if at all?


cheers

 

[MacZ]

Where would the “double red” morph be found in nature, if at all?

Not at all, it's a domestic colour breed.

 

[Jasonmc89]

Not at all, it's a domestic colour breed.

Thanks, that’s what I thought.

Do you know much about A. Gephyra? That could be a promising species

 

[Mike Wise]

How large is your tank?

 

[Jasonmc89]

How large is your tank?

200L

 

[Mike Wise]

I, personally, would be reluctant to mix most apistos with D. filamentosus especially a highly territorial and polygamous species like A. agassizii or A. gephyra.

 

[Jasonmc89]

Ah okay, I am thinking of moving the Dicrossus out into a separate tank and maybe get a group of Apistos going.

How many and what sex ratio would you recommend? I can get A. gephyra at the moment so leaning towards them.

 

[Mike Wise]

If you do a search here you will find that most recommend only 1 sex if it is a community tank, like yours. Each specimen should also appear different enough in body and fin shape to avoid intra-species aggression. The number of specimens depends more on the layout of the tank than its actual size.

 

[Jasonmc89]

If you do a search here you will find that most recommend only 1 sex if it is a community tank, like yours. Each specimen should also appear different enough in body and fin shape to avoid intra-species aggression. The number of specimens depends more on the layout of the tank than its actual size.

Ah okay. I have loads of wood and plants. So much so that I never detect any nitrates. Tank has been running for a year.

Just out of curiosity, why would it not be recommended to keep the Apistos with Dicrossus? Because of aggression?

 

[Mike Wise]

Water values can be perfect, but it has little to do with numbers. Apistos are cichlids and like most cichlids are territorial even without there being members of the opposite sex. They are also visually oriented so if they see each other problems can occur.

My experience with both genera is that most apisto species tend to be more territorial than D. filamentosus. Some of the more robust Dicrossus species probably can 'hold their own' in a mixed tank, but not D. filamentosus.