Apistogramma Bitaeniata Rio Nanay - pH and diet for long term

[Ghostuga]

Hi there, recently I purchased a young male wild caught Apistogramma Bitaeniata Rio Nanay. My pH are between 7-7.2 pH, temp 26.5c, KH 3. I inject 1 bps for CO2. 20 gallon tank with a lot of plants.
This pH is good for long term or should I inject more CO2 ? The little guy is doing well (2 weeks), a little aggressive in the first week with the Ramirezi, but since last week they are doing fine, unless the feeding time (in the territorial zone for the Apistogramma) a little push up. The Bitaeniata is eating Sera Discus Granulat daily and 2 days frozen brine shrimp or baby brine shrimp and 2 days Grindal worms (splited). This diet is good enough for long term?

Some pics attached, hope you like it

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Welcome to Apistogramma forums

This pH is good for long term or should I inject more CO2 ?

The pH changes due to CO2 injection aren't the same as those in naturally acidic water, so I don't think more CO2 will help, (but it does make asphyxiating your fish more likely).

The Bitaeniata is eating Sera Discus Granulat daily and 2 days frozen brine shrimp or baby brine shrimp and 2 days Grindal worms (splited). This diet is good enough for long term?

That sounds fine.

Some pics attached, hope you like it

The tank looks good. The substrate is a bit coarse, but you could add some structural leaf litter.

a little aggressive in the first week with the Ramirezi, but since last week they are doing fine, unless the feeding time (in the territorial zone for the Apistogramma) a little push up.

They probably aren't compatible in the long term, but see how they get on.

cheers Darrel

 

[MacZ]

Can't see any pistures.

But I agree, never use CO2 to dial in pH. Bears so many risks, it's not worth it. If you're CO2-tank runs empty at the wrong moment (usually when you're not at home or when no store is open to resupply), it tends to end in a disaster. pH is also not as important as conductivity. If you want to make the water fit, RO plus humic substances (rather from botanicals than peat) and you're good to go. No remineralizing or CO2.

 

[Ghostuga]

Hi all,
Welcome to Apistogramma forums

The pH changes due to CO2 injection aren't the same as those in naturally acidic water, so I don't think more CO2 will help, (but it does make asphyxiating your fish more likely).

That sounds fine.

The tank looks good. The substrate is a bit coarse, but you could add some structural leaf litter.

They probably aren't compatible in the long term, but see how they get on.

cheers Darrel

Ok I will not change the co2 injection. At the moment is only 1 bps to the plants thrive and the co2 is scheduled with a proper regulator (co2 art pro).

At the left you don't see very much is the Apistogramma area with a lot of roots, some alder cones and catappa leafs decomposing. I will add more for sure.

About the Apistogramma and Ramirezi before the Bitaeniata I had a cacatuoides with the Ramirezi 2 years together and they were doing just fine. We will see (fingers crossed).

Tks for the tips

 

[Ghostuga]

Can't see any pistures.

But I agree, never use CO2 to dial in pH. Bears so many risks, it's not worth it. If you're CO2-tank runs empty at the wrong moment (usually when you're not at home or when no store is open to resupply), it tends to end in a disaster. pH is also not as important as conductivity. If you want to make the water fit, RO plus humic substances (rather from botanicals than peat) and you're good to go. No remineralizing or CO2.

Tks for the this!

Alternative pic gallery:

Apistogramma Bitaeniata Rio Nanay

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[MacZ]

The substrate is a bit coarse, but you could add some structural leaf litter.

I agree now, but there's the option of building "sandboxes" or "beaches" for the dwarf cichlids to have sand to chew. I'd probably do that.

And if you have access to RO, just do some extra waterchanges to get KH down to 1.5° and GH to under 5°. The fish will thank you if you then add more humic substances.

Btw, you can make extract from alder cones and dry them afterwards, to reuse them for that purpose. Better than putting more surplus nutrients in the tank by way of rotting seeds in the cones.

 

[Ghostuga]

I'm thinking to add 5 Dicrossus filamentosus (2 males + 3 females) to the tank. Ramirezi is gone so I only have the bitaeniata (apisto). 80*30*40cm , 26c, pH+- 7.0, GH 4, KH 2.5. what do you think in terms of compatibility @MacZ ? No breeding intended.Tks

 

[MacZ]

(2 males + 3 females)

That's going to be mayhem. I will never again put more than one male of them into a tank under 150cm.
I keep a single male D. filamentosus in the same tank size and that's pretty much enough. No combination of numbers and sexes has worked besides that. 3 females and no male could work though. That's the only one I haven't tried but seen working out well elsewhere.

About comibining with your Apisto: The A. bitaeniata has a similar caudalfin and the stripes are reminiscent of D. filamentosus colouration when aggressive. I doubt this will work at all.

 

[Ghostuga]

That's going to be mayhem. I will never again put more than one male of them into a tank under 150cm.
I keep a single male D. filamentosus in the same tank size and that's pretty much enough. No combination of numbers and sexes has worked besides that. 3 females and no male could work though. That's the only one I haven't tried but seen working out well elsewhere.

About comibining with your Apisto: The A. bitaeniata has a similar caudalfin and the stripes are reminiscent of D. filamentosus colouration when aggressive. I doubt this will work at all.

I suspected that will not work, tks for the quick reply! Maybe I will purchase another ramirezi ( wild one if I can get somewhere, the farm ones are always seek or will be in a year or so).

 

[anewbie]

Not really temp compatible if you still have the bitaeniata.

 

[Ghostuga]

Not really temp compatible if you still have the bitaeniata.

When I had the ramirezi it was set to 26.5-27c with the bitaeniata. The ramirezi died sunddlently (1.5 old ,1y in the tank, farm raised).

 

[MacZ]

The ramirezi died sunddlently (1.5 old ,1y in the tank, farm raised).

That's not suddenly. To be frank, the average from purchase to death in a standard home aquarium is 6 months. So your's made it pretty long.