Community fish for apistos?

[Ricochet]

I understand that most commonly available apistos (cockatoos, etc.) are fairly peaceful, except for when they breed.

If I don't plan on breeding them, can I keep most community fish in a 90g with a pair (or more) of apistos? Which fish should I stay away from?

Also, which fish can I get that'll survive when they're in breeding season?

 

[Neil]

Ricochet,
The questions that you are asking are pretty broad, but here goes.

I understand that most commonly available apistos (cockatoos, etc.) are fairly peaceful, except for when they breed.

This is true with most dwarfs as well as apistos, but there are exceptions with even apistos. I have had nijsenni hunt down and kill tetras, which most dwarfs hardly raise an eyebrow to. And then, I have had nijsenni that kept 3 spawns of fry in the same small tank, which usually they would clear the old for the new. And finally, I have had nijsenni that we very mellow and lived peacefully with other apistos in the same tank. This is just an example of how the individual personality of a fish is just as important as the species.
Even though they do become more aggressive when they breed, apistos are small fish and a 90g. is a large tank.

If I don't plan on breeding them, can I keep most community fish in a 90g with a pair (or more) of apistos? Which fish should I stay away from?

As I said before, that is a big enough tank, that your choices of tankmate can be pretty diverse. What fish are you thinking about? What fish do you like? Tetras and Rasboras are a no-brainer, but you tell us what you are thinking about and maybe we can give you more specific suggestions.

Also, which fish can I get that'll survive when they're in breeding season?

That would depend on how many apisto pairs or groups you intend to keep. Breeding season is pretty much all year when they are in a closed system. The problem arise most when there are free-swimming fry in the tank. This may present problems for the other fish in the tank and the fry that might be a pretty tempting meal. Kind of a general rule would be, if the fish in the tank are faster than the apistos, they will probaly be OK.
Neil

 

[Ricochet]

Thanks Neil, for the info.

I wanted to make it into a community tank also, with all sorts of fish, including fancy guppies, platies, swordtails, cories, tetras, otos, loaches, kribs, Florida Flag fish, gobies, barbs, killies, SAEs, amano shrimp, etc. Are there any characteristics of fish which would make them incompatible with the more peaceful apistos (I know you mentioned fish that were slower swimmers might be a problem...would the above fish be too slow)?

 

[Neil]

Well, that quite an assortment, so it will be difficult to prdict. I think that most are OK, but Kribs, barbs and Flag fish would probably be the ones that you would have to use the most care in adding, as they can be aggressive at times. Cories, SAEs and shrimp might pose a risk to eggs or fry, but then again, all the fish pose a threat to eggs and fry. And I don't know how the fancy guppies would be, but they probably would provide food for the apistos and other fish.
Neil

 

[Scooter]

I agree with Neil on this. I would add that SAEs can get pretty belligerent as they age, IME. And I think otos are rather fragile little fish. Also, a lot would depend on how your tank is setup. If you have plenty of plants, wood, rocks, etc. you reduce sight lines, which will benefit many of the fish when (or if) your apistos breed. I'm by no means an expert, but I think with such a variety as you list, most of any aggression will be quite distributed. If I were in your shoes, though, I would tend to look towards fish that best fit the water parameters you have. In other words, I would try to keep fish from the same geographical regions with the same native water characteristics as opposed to mixing everything from all over. Just my two cents though.

 

[Randall]

Apistos in a Community Tank

"I wanted to make it into a community tank also, with all sorts of fish, including fancy guppies, platies, swordtails, cories, tetras, otos, loaches, kribs, Florida Flag fish, gobies, barbs, killies, SAEs, amano shrimp, etc."

Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. You have hard water Central American livebearers placed with soft water fish. From my experience, Apistos are best kept in species tanks with dithers and/or Cory cats. If the tank is large enough, then other pairs of the same or of a different species may be added to the mix, providing there is ample territory for each fish and enough hiding places.

Just my two cents worth.

Randall Kohn