Apistos

[Bob1]

Would it be possible to keep 2 trios of apistos in a 36x18x20 tank, or am I asking for trouble.

 

[Gillie]

I'm not going to say it's impossible because I'm sure that someone has made it or will make it work with the proper amount of plants, wood and stones, but I personal wouldn't try it especially if you intend to breed them. I keep a trio of Cacatuoides in a 50 breeder and each female take an end for territory with the male in the middle. The female aggressively defend their territories from each other. Just my experience though.

 

[Dano]

I had an A Agassizi pair and A Cacatouides pair in a 55 heavily planted tank with dithers and it was a continous battle. I now have them in separate tanks, but wish to keep more than one pair in each tank. I would like for others to elaborate on Bob's post so I may learn also.

 

[Mike Wise]

It really depends on the species to be kept together and the manner in which the aquarium is decorated. Trios of the smaller species of the regani- & pertensis-groups, as well as A. wapisana & A. borellii should be able to co-habit a 50 gallon breeder tank - if the tank is properly decorated with line-of-sight in all directions being broken by dense clusters of plants, driftwood, and other decorations.

Your tank probably is too small for other, more territorial species - especially if the tank is fairly open.

 

[Csababá]

natural cohabitants

Sorry for writing here but I haven't found a proper topic (and don't want to start one, so pls move this if needed). I'd like to know what other fish do live in the natural habitat where Apistos exist?

 

[Mike Wise]

In Peru we usually found apistos with a blue tetra species, pencilfish/pyrrhulinids, and killifish.

 

[Csababá]

Thank you. I'm thinking of providing them perfect tankmates. Where could I learn more about Apisto's natural habitat (other fish, environment, pictures, etc.)? What is a pyrrhulinid?

 

[Mike Wise]

Most book on dwarf cichlids have a description of their biotopes. On the web, Tom Christoffersen (http://apisto.sites.no/default.aspx) has some very good articles, with photos, about collecting apistos in Peru.

Pyrrhulinids include species of the genera Copeina, Copella, and Pyrrhulina. They are closely related to pencilfish; some hobbyist consider them just another kind of pencilfish.