Apistos and fertilizers

[Redbass]

Hi all,

I've been reading this forum for a few weeks now and have learned a lot from the posts here. You have a great community.

I have a 65 gallon, heavily planted tank that I'm just about ready to put some apistos in. It's been set up for five months and it seems like I've finally figured out how to keep the algae under control, get the plants growing well, and maintain a fairly stable pH. I'm using pressurized carbon dioxide and fertilizing using Tom Barr's Estimative Method, which is basically doses of nitrates, phosphates, sulfates, and trace elements three times a week with 50 percent water changes once a week. The plants have become thick and grow fast. I'm growing a couple types of milfoil, Heteranthera zosterifolia, and some Echinodorus (bleheri, cordifolius, and tenellus). There’s a large piece of twisted wood that will provide cover and caves. I live in New York City so I'm blessed with very soft water (2 degrees KH). Ph is steady around 6.4. Nitrates are usually between 5 and 10 ppm.

I'm considering either A. cacatuoides or A. agassizi along with a few pencil fish as dithers if I can find them. Right now I have some ottocinclus, cory cats, three different types of shrimp, and some snails. I’ll probably move the cats and shrimp out when the apistos move in.

I’ve heard that Apistos are sensitive to nitrates. Does anyone here have any experience keeping them with this kind of fertilizer regime?

I’m also wondering how many of either Apisto species will live happily in this tank. Can I keep more than one male? If not how many females should I get to go along with the one lucky male? The tank is 3 feet across and 18 inches wide.

Cheers,
Dave

 

[dw1305]

Welcome

Hi Redbass,
Welcome aboard. I'm a low tech. planted tank keeper, so I'm not really best qualified to answer this, but we do have some experienced Apisto keepers who are also aquascapers. Have a look at these threads:

<http://www.forum.apistogramma.com/showthread.php?t=8477>
<http://www.forum.apistogramma.com/showthread.php?t=8309>

I find that I usually have similar levels of nitrate in my tank, and I think your tank sounds perfect for Apisto's, plenty of wood and suitable plants/dithers. I also think removing the shrimp and Cories is a good idea. I had a bit of a shrimp disaster (for the shrimp ) with A. cacatuoides (very happy) recently, and Cories and breeding Apisto's don't get on. I've found that Apisto's totally ignore Otocinclus, although other people have had different experiences.

thread here:<http://www.forum.apistogramma.com/showthread.php?t=8270>

The only change I would make would be to add more caves, you can never have too many. I'm mainly using half coconuts at present, but pvc piping, small clay plant pots are all fine. I now prefer coconut caves because you can plant them with Java moss and "Java" fern. I particularly like lots of moss, because it's popular with any fry.

The pH of your tank opens up lots more possibilities for other species, as well as the 2 you mention, A. rotpunk, A. macmasteri & A. hongsloi or A. baenschi, A. nijsseni, A.panduro etc. may all be obtainable locally for you.

I've never got on very well with more than 1 adult male in the tank, but you can potentially keep 2 morphologically different species pairs/harems in the same tank.

Most Apisto's are better as harems, although the A. nijsenni group are pair forming. For harems I like at least 3 females, as it gives them a bit of a rest when they are not ready to spawn, (male Apisto's are always ready to spawn).

Best of luck, cheers Darrel

 

[ed seeley]

Dosing ferts won't effect the apistos IME. In fact they will love the 50% weekly water changes. I do tend to keep an eye on the TDS to make sure that it doesn't get too high with dosing all those salts though.

 

[Redbass]

Thanks

Thanks guys.

Darrel, I haven't seen a couple of the threads you referenced. I appreciate you taking the time to list them for me. I've been leaning toward A. cacatuoides or A. agassizi because I've read they are a good starter fish - not to mention that fact that they look great. I kept cacatuoides years ago, but since I work full time and go to grad school at night I want my fish to be a little forgiving. I don't want to have to choose between the fish and studies (I'm sure I would choose the fish!). Are the other species you mention more demanding?

Ed, It's good to know that the Apistos won't mind the fertilizer. What do you mean by TDS? Total Dissolved Salts? How do you measure them? Won't a 50 percent water change every week take care of this worry?

Cheers,
Dave

 

[ed seeley]

Thanks guys.

Ed, It's good to know that the Apistos won't mind the fertilizer. What do you mean by TDS? Total Dissolved Salts? How do you measure them? Won't a 50 percent water change every week take care of this worry?

Cheers,
Dave

The 50% water change should take care of it yes. I just find Total Dissolved Solids to be a quick and easy way of checking that I'm not dosing too much and altering the water too much. You almost certainly won't need to do it but if you have any problems then it might eb something worth checking.

 

[embaveGagRams]

it's not jokes

well said!

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