Apistogramma trifasciata

[Fordtrannyman]

What would be good to stock in an Apisto tank as a clean up crew?

The tank is a 20Long, heavily planted, high tech setup.
My goal to to spawn and rear in this tank.
With no personal experience I don't know what will not disturb or eat the eggs.

All input is welcome.

I'm also looking for links for successful spawning efforts. Thanks.

 

[Mike Wise]

Personally, I do not use any bottom-dwelling "clean up crew". Most will prey on fry or eggs - or at least disturb the female with their presence. Some people have been successful with Otocinclus, but they aren't especially efficient at eating leftovers. Careful feeding & tank cleaning is always the best policy.

 

[Fordtrannyman]

What about a couple Pomacea bridgesii ?
(These are Planted tank safe Apple Snail)

 

[Gillie]

I believe apple snails will eat the eggs if they can get to them. Have you thought about one of pygmy cory species? The clean up pretty well and are too small to be a threat to eggs and fry.

 

[brad]

shrimp........

 

[Gillie]

Shrimp wouldn't be the best choice. If they are too small they become a pretty expensive snack if they are too big they could and probably will grab and eat fry.

 

[jose_vogel]

Gillie, in my breeding tanks I use Otocinclus (just if it´s a planted tank), shrimps (only Palaemonetes sp) and adults apple snails they´re bigger than the hole of the cave were the female put the eggs.

Palaemontes sp. could be eaten by the Apistos, but they´re so cheap here... (2 US dollar for a bag with 100 shrimps).

 

[Gillie]

That's pretty cool that you keep a ghost shrimp species in your breeding tanks. That of all shrimp species would be the one I thought would be a big fry predator. I do use ottos sometimes and have tried cherry shrimp until I found some of them eating fry, but for some reason I don't like or trust snails of any kind in my breeding tanks .

 

[Gillie]

That's pretty cool that you keep a ghost shrimp species in your breeding tanks. That of all shrimp species would be the one I thought would be a big fry predator. I do use ottos sometimes and have tried cherry shrimp until I found some of them eating fry, but for some reason I don't like or trust snails of any kind in my breeding tanks .

 

[brad]

I never had any problems whatsoever with yamato shrimp eating fry/ eggs. Cherry shrimp do become lunch to some but in some of my tanks, the apistos don't bother the larger cherry shrimp at all, and I figure the babies make great food for growing fry.

 

[Apistomaster]

I am using a variety of different shrimp in with Apistogramma spawning tanks but also with wild Betta bubblenesting species without any fry predation and believe me, wild Betta spp fry are far smaller and vulnerable than Apistogramma spp.

The shrimp seem to survive fine as long as there is some Java Moss for cover and if you use sponge filters or sponge pre-filters when using an external power filter.

I also trust Otocinclus, Corydoras habrosus and Corydoras hastatus.
I think Aspidoras pauciradiatus will also prove to be safe but my focus is just to get a number of fry before risking spreading my breeders too thin.
It doesn't surprise me that Amano Shrimp are fry/egg safe,
I have more experience with Cherry, Crystal Red, Yellow, Snowball and Chinese Zebra Shrimp kept with breeding fish. I am surprised that the Palamontes spp Ghost shrimp aren't more predatory but they are generally well behaved, at least the common Ghost Glass and their related SA species which is similar in size and disposition.
So we have some choices which are compatible and indeed, often helpful when feeding fry frequently, most especially if you use much prepared or frozen foods.