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Apisto agression

derekw

Member
Messages
41
Location
Nova Scotia
I recently had to return my female apisto to LFS. When I first added her she seemed to pair up with my male, however after a few days he started constantly darting after her and chasing her around the tank. It seemed the male had taken the entire 20 long as his territory. I tried rescaping the tank, however this didnt work. I am now just going to keep one male with tetras.
I am going to be purchasing more plants for my aquarium, (crypts, java fern, swords) in order to remove nitrates, let me know some of your thoughts on low maintenance aquariums and no water change tanks.
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MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
You might have just not gotten the right structure. The old scape and the one I can see now both leave a lot of open spaces and unbroken lines of sight, so it is no wonder he kept chasing her.
You might want to stretch it out more, now, there are so many open areas, which are not really what you want for your fish. Maybe add some smaller twigs. For plants I'd recommend more that can cover from above like brasilian pennywort and floating plants.

But alas, now with only one Apisto you might be happier anyways.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,201
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
You should realize that A. bitaeniata is a polygamous species and does best with at least 2 females in a tank with a larger surface area, at least a 20 gallon long (75 x 30 cm). I never understood not doing water changes myself. I look at it like living in a phone booth (what's that?) without a toilet.
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
I never understood not doing water changes myself.

Copy that, totally missed the sentence in the original post.

Somebody said to me once: Blackwater is not old water.

And indeed, to maintain a softwater tank, it takes regular waterchanges in my experience.
50% weekly are the least. But low maintenance it definitely is besides that. No vacuuming, no removing of old leaf litter... at best just squeezing the filter sponge once every two months and remove dead leaves from the aquatic plants. But that's it.
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
Hi all,
let me know some of your thoughts on low maintenance aquariums and no water change tanks.
Same as the others really, plants aren't a replacement for water changes.

I change about 10% of the water every day, it suits me as a water change method. I only change a larger volume after I've been away or if the conductivity (TDS) has risen to outside my datum range.
You might have just not gotten the right structure. The old scape and the one I can see now both leave a lot of open spaces and unbroken lines of sight, so it is no wonder he kept chasing her.
This is one of my lightly planted tanks, most of them have a lot more plants in them.

dicrossus_female1-jpg.46043


cheers Darrel
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
No idea why you quoted me there, but your tank shows exactly what I meant. I can't really see through to the other side of the tank. Proving my point there.
 

Paul1006

New Member
Messages
12
I recently had to return my female apisto to LFS. When I first added her she seemed to pair up with my male, however after a few days he started constantly darting after her and chasing her around the tank. It seemed the male had taken the entire 20 long as his territory. I tried rescaping the tank, however this didnt work. I am now just going to keep one male with tetras.
I am going to be purchasing more plants for my aquarium, (crypts, java fern, swords) in order to remove nitrates, let me know some of your thoughts on low maintenance aquariums and no water change tanks. View attachment 10544
View attachment 10546
Allright, was a bit confused. :) Thanks!
All my Apistos are in 20Ls with at least trios in them with no real aggression issues. This is because the tanks all have multiple line of sight breaks which includes plants, wood, rock work and Apisto caves. I also keep them with Corys , Ottos, and Tetras/Pencilfish so there’s other fish in the tank to distract the cichlids.
 

Linds6292

Member
Messages
33
I'm certainly not an expert, but I have bred Cacatuoides, Nijsseni and Macmasteri now and have had a few experiences with aggression. The main thing I've learned is that it can change fast and usually has to do with the breeding cycle. My Macmasteri pair are pretty even in size and have both been known to drive the other one into a corner or some tiny hiding spot when the mood takes. One day I feared for her safety and would have put her in another tank but the next day she had turned the tables and was now dominating him. Both my Cacatuodies and Nijsseni females are 3 or 4 times smaller than their mates yet both will dominate them when they want to. My Nijsenni male is banished from when the eggs are laid until the fry are free swimming, then he's allowed to be near the fry. The Macmasteri and Cacatuoides males are not allowed near after the eggs are fertilised.
I've kept 2 male Nijsseni and a male Agassizii all in a relatively small tank without incident once they had established their territories (which changed over time).
In all these cases I have found that as long as they have places to hide and retreat to they will be fine.
 

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