Apistos in Colorado!?

[fishseeker]

Does anyone know where I can my hands on some apistos in the centennial state? I have a pair of juruensis now and am dieing for more. All the LFS can order them but both times I did that I ended of with very small oones that ended up all females not the species we thought they were.

Thanks,
FishSeeker

 

[jonah]

www.liss.olm.net/rmca

Have you tried anyone at Rocky Mountain Cichlid Association? They're hosting the ACA this year, you might find some at the auction.

 

[Neil]

fishseeker,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM


Excellent suggestion! This ACA should be Dwarf Cichlid-rich. You could also PM tjudy(moderator) here. He lives in Colorado and might have some suggestions, although he is pretty far out of the way of any civilization.

Good luck,

Neil

 

[fishseeker]

Thanks guys

Thanks for the welcome and suggestions guys. I will try them both.

Fishseeker

 

[ancientaquarist]

Apistos in Colorado and some other questions.

Dear Fishseeker- You need to hit the better LFS in Denver-Colo Springs is too small-I'd also try Boulder-lots of educated people. Now that's out of my system.

As I was so taken with Loiselle's THE CICHLID AQUARIUM (published by Tetra) I started my marathon read last Sunday with DWARF CICHLIDS,
American Cichlids I by Linke and Staeck. # 2 is apparently devoted to the big monsters.

I realized almost immediately that though they don't say it the atre implying that a pair or polygynous group be raised in aquariums from 10-40 gallons-as the ONLY cichlids with some dither fish. If I'm right then dwarf cichlid fanciers have 50 or so smaller tanks-at least one per species.

My G d, that's not what I want. I want a 125-150 gallon long community tank with a group of gorgeous Discus, a large school of some exquisite tetras, a small group of gouramies (my other favs) and some scavengers.

At no point in this new book (to me) is my question answered. CAN I KEEP SEVERAL (5-7) different dwarf genera in a cichlid community in a large tank OR must each species be housed separately because even the dwarfs become mini-monsters when they are spawning? The more
Neotropical dwarfs I encounter, the more I want. I now undetrstand why there is a web site called "Apistogramma.com"

Whats the scoop experts? Am I phantasizing about a dwarf cichlid community as part of a larger community aquarium or is my new house
going to be filled with innumerable small tanks-that's what it was like in the 1950's and it is distinctly not what I want now. I want an elegant neo-Dutch huge aquarium with my favorite fishes and one school of calm dither fish. My life is complicated and too active now. I'm willing to put the time in and become a techno-freak and change water constantly.
They'll install my reverse osmosis system next weekend BUT I don't want a tank of just Discus.

Aren't there a few dozen species of shy, beautiful, peaceful, calm cichllids
who can live together without starting WW III?? There certainly is a fairly
large group of bubble nesters who can live together in peace-I had a
50 gallon with honey gouramies, dwarfs, lace, moonlight, thick lips, snakeskin, etc. and a pair of albino paradise fish with a school of corys
when I finally decided that marriage and parenthood no longer gave me
enough time to sit quietly and enjoy my aquarium.

Alas, I became a super serious gardener and between weeds and slugs and snails and pruning and, and, plus, etc. only got to enjoy my garden when I was showing visitors around. Otherwise I was working in the garden-there was always something which needed to be split up or pruned or sprayed or fertilized-ALWAYS-40 hours a day! When I wasn't doing t this in my own garden I hung out in other peoples Edens and
watched them work from sun-up to sun-down unless they were taking a two hour break to work on their latest book or prepare an uncoming
lecture. There must be some way to have what I want or I should stop now-enjoy my library and visit fishstores with display tanks. I don't want to turn my hobby into a profession or an obsession. I'm am growing old
and finally understand that sometimes less is more! It's taken 60+ years to learn that.

Help! Someone tell me I can have my dream or burst my bubble and I'll
collect old china. All you do then is dust and read. TIA