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Can I mix Apisto Borelli, Bitaenita & Cacatuoides?

ThomasL

New Member
Messages
4
Hi all,

I would like to know which combination of species can work.

Tank size : 60x40cm (footprint)
Objective: Community tank with some schooling fish.

Can I mix any of the combination below?

1)One pair of Borelli and one pair of Cacatuoides.

2)One pair of Cacatuoides and one single male Bitaenita?

3)One pair of Borelli and one single male Bitaenita?

4)One pair of Cacatuoides, one single male Bitaenita and one single male Borelli?

5)One single male Bitaenita, one pair of Borelli and one pair of Cacatuoides? (I guess these might be too crowded).

Or any other suggestions for more peaceful Apistogrammas?

By the way, I have two backup tanks of 60x45cm and 60x30cm (footprints) in the event that any pair is starting to breed.
But this is for contingency plan as I am trying not to start more tanks as I am having 5 tanks now.

Thank you in advance.
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
In that tank size I would only keep a single Apistogramma permanently. Especially in a Biotope community setting, as the footprint is basically the average territory size for a male Apistogramma.

A pair may work temporarily with the right structure. (And a tank where you can move one of them at any time, which you seem to have).
A third fish, even from another species is fish food, as soon as the pair gets into breeding mode.

A. borelli are pretty much the most peaceful species known, maybe there are others but those will likely be rare in the trade.
 

anewbie

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,365
I presume the tank is around 15 or at best 20 gallons. You could maybe keep 1 pair in the tank perhaps borelli. If you have more than 1 pair (or 1 pair and an outsider) you will be asking for some deaths....
 

ThomasL

New Member
Messages
4
Thanks all. Sorry, I think I will revise the combinations:


I would like to know which combination of species can work.

Tank size : 60x40cm (footprint) : 25 gallons
Objective: Community tank with some schooling fish.

Can I mix any of the combination below?

1)One pair of Cacatuoides + one single male Bitaenita?

2)One single male Cacatuoides + one single male Bitaenita?

3)One pair of Borelli + one single male Bitaenita?

4)One single male Cacatuoides + one single male Bitaenita + one single male Borelli?

Or any other suggestions?


By the way, I have two backup tanks of 60x45cm and 60x30cm (footprints) in the event that any pair is starting to breed.
But this is for contingency plan as I am trying not to start more tanks as I am having 5 tanks now.

Thank you in advance.
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,958
Location
Germany
Still, no. Sorry. There is nothing to negotiate.

A single male of any of those species OR a pair of any of those species.

I'm getting the impression you are hoping for somebody to just wave through one of your ideas.

Get a tank with double (! i.e. 120x60cm) the footprint and some (by far not all) of your ideas might work.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,201
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
Your tank has a bottom surface of 60X40 cm. Depth has almost no effect when it comes to apistos, which rarely live more than 20 cm above the surface. Nothing can change that except another, larger, aquarium. Think of it this way: I suggest that each apisto have a bottom area of at least 30 cm in diameter separated by visual boundaries. Therefore the minimum areas available in your tank for apisto territories is 2 - with no margin for mistakes. Please believe what other more experienced apisto keeper recommend.
 

ThomasL

New Member
Messages
4
Thanks Mike and Mac for the explanations.

I have limited space for bigger tanks as I already have tanks for shrimps and crabs.
Also, I prefer a 60x40 or 60x45cm (footprint) tanks as they are easier for me to carry them alone by myself.

Anyway, thanks again to all!
 

anewbie

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,365
Thanks Mike and Mac for the explanations.

I have limited space for bigger tanks as I already have tanks for shrimps and crabs.
Also, I prefer a 60x40 or 60x45cm (footprint) tanks as they are easier for me to carry them alone by myself.

Anyway, thanks again to all!
If you avoid the pairs and just get single males then you can probably keep 2 or 3 without issues though as with all fishes they can be a bit unpredictable. I have a single female nijennsi (her mate died a year ago); and she is still a bit territorial in a 29.
 

ThomasL

New Member
Messages
4
If you avoid the pairs and just get single males then you can probably keep 2 or 3 without issues though as with all fishes they can be a bit unpredictable. I have a single female nijennsi (her mate died a year ago); and she is still a bit territorial in a 29.
Thanks.

Last time when I was new to Apistogramma, I kept a few males together. But due to gill flukes infections, it killed off all my Apistogrammas and Blue Rams.
Now I managed to get Flubendazole which I find it to be effective against gill flukes.
In the past I tried many medications such as Praziquantel, Piotassium Permanganate, medications from Water Life and Interpret brands but none of them managed to eradicate all the gill flukes from my tank.

Now I am back to keeping Apistogrammas and I am trying to ensure that they can live well and comfortable in my tank.
I guess I will have to monitor them closely for any aggressions.

In the past I had one Trifasciata which nipped all other fish in my tank.
In the end I had to move it to another tank. But it died due to some diseases that caused it to have crooked spine.
 

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