Beginner apisto keeper needs advice

[apistopete]

Hi Guys,
After moving into new home decided to buy a 120l tank.
Have kept tropical fish before and have been succeessfull.
However loved the idea of setting up a tank with these beautifull fish.
The tank has been set up for about 3 months and is planted quite heavily and contains bogwood.
(i had) 6 cardinals,4 rummy nose, 2 kribs,2 apisto nijessi, 2 apisto Cacatuoides.

About 3 weeks ago my male nijessi became very bloated and eyes bacame cloudy and passed away. Which i may be wrong but thought i could have been dropsy?

NOW over the last few days my female cacatuoides has become very scruffy looking, she very rarely swims and when she does swim to the surface to feed its like she has a lead weight strapped to her and struggles keep near the surface.She doesnt seem to have the same symptoms as my male nijessi.

All other fish in tank seem super healthy and happy.

Does anyone have any thoughts what may be wrong and how to help the situation?

Any advice would be much appreciated as all this is new to me.

Thanks Pete

 

[Mike Wise]

My guess is that this is as much a stress related problem as anything else. Have the Kribs formed a pair yet? A pair of Kribs that are ready to breed can cause problems with other bottom-dwelling fish. Six cichlids in a 120l tank seems a lot of territorial fish to me. A. nijsseni does best in soft and acid (pH<6) water. You don't provide enough details to get more than a guess.

 

[apistopete]

Thanks for the advice mike, when I was ready
to choose fish for the tank I solely went on the advice
the shop owner gave me as obviously far more experienced than
me. I will do a ph test and by the sound of things
perhaps give back some of the fish to the shop. The Kribs are vibrant
in colour and have paired up which is good. How many fish do you reckon
I can keep in a tank of this size?
Thanks

 

[Mike Wise]

It really depends on what you want the tank to be: community or breeding tank. If you want to raise babies, then I would stay away from other bottom dwelling fish and keep top dwelling fish. Many of the popular tetra species like Cardinal tetras and Rummynose Tetras are known fry predators. If you want a nice community tank and raising fry is unimportant, then keep a pair of cichlids, like the Kribs, together with some small groups of schooling fish. If you want catfish it is OK but there could be some fights if/when the cichlids decide to breed. Community tanks only need compatible fish of the correct numbers.

 

[apistopete]

Yeah, just a nice placid, colourful community
tank is what I was looking for, not really fussed
about the fish breeding just as long as they are happy
and healthy. So would the next stage be getting rid of
my apistos and just keep the kribs or a pair of my
apistos aswell? Only probs is where do I pass the fish on to.