Apistos here I come!

[OPEN WATER PREDATOR]

Hello all. I keep primarily large, predatory cichlids but at the ACA convention this year I couldn't resist a couple Apisto pairs: agassizii 'triple red' and cacatuoides 'orange flame'. I know. I know. *yawn* right? Doesn't everybody start with these? Anyway, the agassizii are doing fine. They were pretty small when I got them and have since grown a lot. The cacas, on the other hand, were adults when I got them. They didn't make it a week. Not sure what could've happened. I'd like to get some more eventually. But before I do that, I have a question: who's doing what with their water? Is RO necessary? I've just got almond leaves in there now. My tap is pretty hard, alkaline water.
Thanks.

 

[aspen]

>>'Is RO necessary?'

it depends on how hard and alkaline your water is, the species you're keeping and whether you want your fish to be able to breed successfully.

my water is 160 ppm, ph 7.8, and i can get small to medium spawns grown out of a. cacatuoides and a. borellii among others, but even just keeping other species is a challenge.

basically, you'll have more success with softer more acidic water. but as to why your cacs died, no-one could say and it might have had little to do with your water.

rick