Ap. Macmasteri

[RAF]

... hi all, just got my first F0 Apistos yesterday. They're 15 Macmasteris. No pics to show for now since they are very frightened and not very colourful yet. I housed them in a 120 l tank, no substrate, lots of wood and easy plants like anubias anda java fern.

I had to use bottled water since my tap water is very hard and my RO system is not completly functional for know.

I'm using external filtering by a cannister with the normal filtration elements and peat.

The water is pH 5,5 to 6 and conductivity arround 130 mS.

I'll be giving notice of the evolution of the fishes and probably showing some pictures, by now I was hoping someone with previous experience with this species can give me aditional tips.

Best regards

 

[Mike Wise]

Check: http://cichlidae.com/gallery.php?genus=Apistogramma and look under A. macmasteri.

 

[RAF]

Thanks Mark... I knew this article already, I'm an usual reader of the Cichlid Room and of your articles ... and I read as much as possible about this species before I decided to order it. I also read Romer's article in Cichlid Atlas (Mergus).

It's funny because one of my favorite corydoras comes exactly from the same biotype, though as far as I know it's not a good idea to put them together!

In your article you mentioned:

"Slighly acid, moderately hard water values are acceptable."

"This species is sensitive to radical changes in water chemistry, which often results in external bacterial infections."

... what makes wonder hou moderatly hard water values do you mean when speaking en conductivity paramemeters and how much would be a variation in pH and hardness to consider it to "radical" for the apistos health?!

Thanks

p.s. is there any "fry safe" dither fish form the biotype that I could consider putting together with the apistos?!

 

[Mike Wise]

"Slightly acid" = pH 6 - 6.5; moderately hard = 8-10º dH with less as KH; <100 µS/cm. They fish are more sensitive to changes in pH from acid to alkaline or visa versa. Changes on the acid side of the scale are not as bad. They really do best in water with stable values as long as it is slightly acidic.

As for target fish from their natural environment, the best would be pencilfish, hatchetfish and Rivulus killifish.

 

[Apistomaster]

I have had wild A. macmasteri and mine grew much larger than I expected. One of the largest Apistos I've kept. I would allow them plenty of space.
Mike's list is similar to my standard reply. Rivulus are something different to keep than the usual fish but very good tank mates for Apistos if you can find them. AKA members always have some for sale. Definitely keep the tank well covered. Rivulus are escape artist par excellence.

 

[RAF]

Well, I'm quite interested in mantaing Rivulus in the tank. I'm thinking about spliting my macs in two aquariums... one of them will be a Biotype with logs and dead leafs, where I'm thinking of putting a pais of rams with a trio of macs and your suggestion of Rivulus.

I'm now wondering if rams and macs won't be too agressive to the killies because I'm about to ask a friend of mine - the European Rivulus Champion - to give me some Rivulus and I think he wouldn't be to happy to know that the fish he gave me were killed by either rams or macs.

By the way... I've googling and I'm still to find what Rivulus species is present in the same habitat than macs and rams.

Best regards

 

[Mike Wise]

Neither Rams nor Macs are overly aggressive toward fish that don't invade their territory - this usually does not include the upper parts of the aquarium. I know that killies are found in the same biotopes as Rams & Macs. They might not be from the genus Rivulus, however. This certainly isn't my area of special interest. Perhaps you can ask your friend about killie species found around Vilavicencio, Colombia. He should know.

 

[RAF]

Ok... Mike, thanks anyway, I'll be doing that...

 

[Apistomaster]

While there are Rivulus that are found in A. macmasteri's range, I think you will find that your choices will be limited quite a bit. The most desirable Rivulus tend to be the rare and difficult to breed species. Those that are easy to keep, like Rivulus holmiae, grow too large. You will pretty much be limited to what you can find and few will be from the same range as macmasteri. Just use your imagination and pretend they are. The Apistogramma don't care and Rivulus are an interesting group of fish in their own right.
I have only kept and bred about six species. Not very many compared to over 150 species of all kind of killies I have bred. I have been a member of the American Killiefish Association off and on since 1968. Just a few years less than I began keeping Apistogramma.