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best tank mates for apistogramma cacatuoides?

slightlyhector

New Member
Messages
9
I have three cockatoo cichlids 2f 1 m and 2 otos. What mid level and top level fish should I get for my aquarium, its 29 gallons tall has several caves, is 78 degrees, the ph is around 7.8 (is there a simple way i can lower it?) and its soft according to my test can I please get some suggestions I would also appreciate plant suggestions
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
Hi all,
All Pencil fish (other than Beckford's Pencil) are good dithers and so are Marbled Hatchets, they both need a certain amount of experience to keep successfully. If you don't feel confident about keeping either of these Black Neon Tetra are a good cheap dither and I've kept them in a tank with Otocinclus whilst the Apistogrammas have successfully raised hundreds of fry.

Are you in the UK? if you are you should be able to get water parameters from your water company. A lot of soft water is treated with NaOH, this raises the pH, but it doesn't add any carbonate buffering (dKH) so it is quite important to know how soft your water is. I wouldn't get too worried about the pH value it is not a very useful measurement in soft water.

Good plants are Cryptocoryne spp., Echinodorus spp., Ceratopteris, Cambomba caroliniana, Anubias spp. & Microsorum pteropus and any mosses and floaters, I use Limnobium as my main floater and it is probably the easiest to keep.

cheers Darrel
 

Cichlid Junkie

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
169
Location
Warner Robins, Georgia
About two weeks ago, I added 11 wild endlers to my 15 gallon with a pair of A. cf. agassizii Net/Netz (Alenquer). Everyone seems to be doing well and they have added a comfort level for the apistos as they are out more often and are not almost black in color.
 

atmagoulick

Member
5 Year Member
Messages
53
Location
Livonia, Michigan USA
I have a 90 gallon with a paire of A. cactuoides along with 3 angelfish, 1 female ram, 2 discus and 5 glow tetras. The A. cactuoides are peaceful compared to the larger cichlids in the tank. It is a planted tank with one 175 watt 20,000k medal hallide. I had a pair lay eggs under a Telanthra leaf before. If I were to recommend one plant with this fish, it would be Telanthra. Two t5 flourescents 6,500k should be enough light on a 29 gallon tank. However, two t8 flourescents would be better. Then just fill it with plants. Try to use plants from Peru. The more hiding places the better. I'd suggest a canister filter. I'd also suggest sand mixed with latrite for the bottom. You can get the latrite on Amazon. They are easy to breed once the tank is established and they are the primary fish. Otherwise the make great tank mates in a community tank. Excuse the spelling and keep us informed.
 

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