Apistos gallery

[Lucas Fortes]

Hello everyone,

First of all, please forgive any mistake I can make, English is not my native language.

So, I'm an older keeper of discus and enthusiast of dwarf cichlids but only now after a feew years I actually started keeping dearf cichlids.

All of my breeding tanks are 60L(18galons?), and the pairs are separared by species in each tank,the species I currently keep are:

2 pairs of Apistogramma sp. abacaxis
1 pair of Apistogramma Elizabethae
1 pair of Apistogramma Agassizi Tefé
1 pair of Apistogramma Agassizi Jutaí
1 trio of Apistogramma Cacatuoides triple red
4 pairs of Mikrogeophagus ramirezi eletric blue

In this post I'll focus on the apistos, ok?

So, in all my tanks the parameters are currently almost the same and I know that some changes has to be done, the current parameters are:

pH 6.2
kH and gH <1
Temp 80F

I'm using dry leaves, wood and some java moss. They don't accept very well dry food, so I offer almost every day whiteworms(we call enquitreia), live artemia and small pellets of frozen shrimp.

I have them for over a month, and until now I had either an start of breeding, am I to ansious? Or I am making any thing wrong? What would you change in this setup? Any help or sugestions are very welcome.

I'll post some pictures but I dont have a professional camera.

Thanks a lot!!!

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

H What would you change in this setup? Any help or sugestions are very welcome.

I'd try a different plant to Egeria densa, if the water is warm and soft enough for the Apistogramma to breed then it isn't going to grow very well.

Ceratopteris thalictroides would be a a better option, and I like Amazon Frobit (Limnobium laevigatum) as a surface floater.

The tanks are a bit bare for my tastes as well, I like a lot more structure, and a lot more moss.

cheers Darrel

 

[Mike Wise]

It takes more than suitable water values for breeding. In my talk I emphasize good food, good water - both chemistry and quality, territory/lay-out, and compatible partners. Species have different needs. Without knowing all of these factors, it's hard to say where your problem lies.

 

[Lucas Fortes]

Hi all, I'd try a different plant to Egeria densa, if the water is warm and soft enough for the Apistogramma to breed then it isn't going to grow very well.

Ceratopteris thalictroides would be a a better option, and I like Amazon Frobit (Limnobium laevigatum) as a surface floater.

The tanks are a bit bare for my tastes as well, I like a lot more structure, and a lot more moss.

cheers Darrel

Hi!! Sorry for the late answer, so I'm trying to get more moss as you said and I'm looking for new roots and more woods for the tanks!!

 

[Lucas Fortes]

It takes more than suitable water values for breeding. In my talk I emphasize good food, good water - both chemistry and quality, territory/lay-out, and compatible partners. Species have different needs. Without knowing all of these factors, it's hard to say where your problem lies.

Hi Mike, thanks for your answer!

So, about the food, how I said before they dont accept well dry food, do I am feeding them with live food(whiteworms, artemias, shrimp), about chemistry quality of the water i posted the parameters. Can you be more specific about the needs of the species I keep?

Thanks

 

[Mike Wise]

Live foods are best but even frozen foods will work. As for water chemistry, you don't mention NH3, NO2, NO3 values nor tank maintenance routine. These I am guessing are very good. As for the fish, you have species from black, clear, white, and seasonally variable-water habitats. Each has its own requirements for breeding. IMHO the pH you have now is too high for breeding blackwater species. I suggest you look for each species in a book or on line and learn their specific breeding requirements. Additionally, I believe that the tanks are not ideally laid out to produce good breeding territories. They need less open space and more hiding places.

 

[Lucas Fortes]

Hi mike!! Thanks for your answer.

Let me try to be more clear:

NH3 and NO2: 0
NO3: 27ppm

The maintance I do 30% water change with conditioned water once a week. The lightining period of the tanks are about 10hr/day.

I am trying to get more info about each species that I have, and what I found untill now, but I want your advice:

Agassizis: black water pH 5-5
Abacaxis: black water pH 5.8
Cacatuoides: seasonable black water pH 6.0
Elizabethae: lots of missing information but I think it's clear and black water pH 5.5


Is this right?

About the layouts, I got more wood and added to the tanks, this week i'll try to take more pictures.

Also I'm wondering to get some I. adoketa but still studying them

 

[Mike Wise]

Your water quality and tank maintenance seem fine. As for species:

Rio Jutai is a mixed black-/clearwater river. A. agassizii Jutai pH should be ~ 5.5, but A. agassizii is a species that is adaptable to higher pH values.
Rio Tefé is a blackwater river. A. sp. Tefé pH should be ~ 5.5 (or slightly lower).
Rio Abacaxis is a blackwater river. A. sp Abacaxis pH should be ~ 5.5 (or slightly lower).
A. cacatuoides is found in white- and clearwater streams - and even in mixed clear-/blackwater streams. Your pH values can vary, since the species is adaptable. I suggest a pH value of neutral or slightly lower.
A. elizabethae is found in the Rio Uaupes and Rio Içna. Both are true blackwater rivers. I suggest a pH value <5.5. Fry are very sensitive to pollutants.

You should feed mostly live and frozen foods. With a little patience you should be successful. Good luck!

 

[Lucas Fortes]

A picture of the adoketas that the seller sent to me

 

[Lucas Fortes]

Hi Mike and others,

What do you think about these adoketas?

 

[abrooks12376]

The first picture looked good, second they look extremely stressed and fins are clamped, may be a side effect from the photo shoot??

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[Lucas Fortes]

Today's pictures

 

[Lucas Fortes]

Today's pictures

 

[Lucas Fortes]

Hello everyone!!

Good, bad and very good news.

The very good news: One of my pair of abacaxis has just spawned, I didn't take pictures yet because the place where the female put the eggs is too hidden, but soon I'll take some pictures.

The good news, my adoketas arrived, I got two pairs, and they are AMAZING!! I'm absolutly addicted to them, I have some pictures and in the end of this reply all of you can check it.

The bad news: The other pair of abacaxis looks like the female is ready to breed, but the male is hurt, it looks like he hurt himself in the wood, I'm looking how to threat him.

Pictures and videos:

 

[Shane Puthuparambil]

I am getting Abacaxis soon from a friend. Can't wait! What do you mean by injured?


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