Apisto semi-aggressive tank?

[Mettle]

Hi there.

I recently acquired a 55 gallon tank (largest tank I have so far - 48x12x21) and I really would like to do a semi-aggressive set-up with some Apisto. sp. The types I have available to me in stores are A. cacatuoides, A. agassizii, and A. panduro. I was wondering if any (or all) of these types of fish would be suited for living in my 55 gallon tank? I really like the A. cacatuoides and A. panduro.

I was also curious if there were other fish I could combine in this habitat? I was looking at perhaps some hatchet fish to fill in the top portions of the tank? Not sure on anything else.

Currently the tank set-up is a natural gravel substrate and some large rock hiding places/caves. I will be adding plants slowly as the tank cycles. The plants will be made up of, for the most part, green gygro, java fern and Egeria densa. I will be adding more hiding places all throughout the lower portion of the tank using flat rocks.

Any help or suggestions, specifically in compatible species of Apistos and numbers, along with other fish I can try in the tank would be fantastic.

Thanks for any and all help!

 

[Apistt_ed]

hello Mettle,

As for a 55 gallon tank like yours... I'd put no more than a pair of two species you listed. Because Panduro are far more aggressive IMO, I'd choose something that could deal with them and of course cacatuoides are an ok choice, but I'd still say proceed with caution. The water specs of all three differ, so I didn't know how you were going to deal with that situation also. If you were to cater to one without harm to another, I'd suggest probably catering more to A. Panduro because they need the slightly softer more acidic water and aggies and cacatuoides will definitely do fine in that water also. As for Numbers of each species, if you choose to go with panduro then keep them as a possible pair or trio... but with all three of these, if you choose to go with a trio of them, then you should not go with another trio of the other species, simply because of the limited floor space. A pair would do best... ONLY IF YOU DO GO WITH THE RIGHT SETUP.

I keep my apistos with all types of different dithers ranging from gardnerii killies, sail finned tetras (Crenuchus spilurus)- but be advised that they do behave a lot like apistos and can be quite aggressive, mollies/platys, silver hatchetfish, marble hatchetfish, pencilfish, vietnamese whitecloud, dwarf emerald rasboras, and het rasboras. Dithers can be all types of fish as long as they are active and keep the apistos active and not shy. With the barbs and tetras, I try to keep them at a small number like 3-7 or so in a 20gallon long tank but in your 55 you could do fine with a few more. The thing is to have fun with it and choose what you like as you are going to be the one who looks into the tank... correct? Everyone has their favorites from their own trial and error processes... so it really is up to you...

If it's of any significance, I have in a 30 breeder a trio of aggies (alanquer) and numerous cacatuoides generations but the problem is that there will be no more spawns in that tank because it's just too much stress on the pairs and the fry always gets eaten.

As for compatible species of apistos?... I don't know if there is such a thing.. but the lesser aggressive fish that I have kept together are A. agassizii, A. borellii, A. eunotus, A. piuaensis, A. cacatuoides, A. trifasciata, A. sp. mamore, A. sp. apache, and A. cf. cruzi. All of these I have kept in tanks with at least each other, of course not all in one tank, at one time or another and they've all done fine because the tank was spacious also to note!

well, I hope this has helped a little... sorry to make it so long... but best wishes and keep us informed of how everything goes please. cheers john

 

[Mettle]

I've asked this question on a few cichlid forums and everyone has told me that A. panduro can be quite aggressive and I might want to shy away from them. I was just doing some calling around today to LFS and was told that one store has some in. I did some research - looked at pics - and thought they were NICE so decided to ask about them.

I think rather than doing separate species of Apistos I might simply do one and then add some life to the tank with other fish. And the type that I like the most, by far, and have wanted for a very, very long time is the A. cacatuoides. I've loved them ever since I saw them in my fish books when I first got into the hobby. (Seriously into it.)

So in terms of numbers of A. cac that I could keep in the 55 gallon? (Again - 48x12x21)? If possibly I would like to keep two males - but I know this can be a REAL issue. And perhaps 2 or 3 females per male? Is that realistic or even possible? Will they fight over the females? I know the females can be very territorial - will they fight amonst themselves? I'm aware that I need to provide a lot of niches and corners for them to claim as separate territories.

Also... In terms of the other fish to be kept with the cacatuoides, I was thinking either silver or marbled hatchet fish, in a group of maybe 4 or so? And a school of glowlight tetras to round out the middle?

I've also been told pencil fish can do quite well?

Thanks for all the advice - and don't worry about making it so long. Every word helped!

 

[fishgeek]

crude rule of thumb , 1 male per 2 sq ft of tank
and 1 female inside the males territory at 1 per 1 sq ft of tank

this means an upper liit of 2 males and 4 females in your tank, if i'm reading dimensions correctly

andrew