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Dither fish

Andreas

Member
Messages
99
Hi I am new to keeping apistogramma
I have a 15 gallon tank and I wanted to keep a pair of borellii but can’t seem to find them anywhere
but there are cacotoides pair so would it be possible to keep them permanently to breed with 7 dwarf pencilfish as dither fish
 

rasmusW

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
455
hi! welcome onboard...
i'm not sure but i think 15 gallon might be a little small for cac's. -but dwarf pencils as dithers is just fine.

-r
 

Andreas

Member
Messages
99
This is my tank and the fish in there are temporary would that work and a can I add a few otos
 

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rasmusW

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
455
Personally i would add some more rock, wood or plants to break the line of sight. Especially in the lower bottom half of the tank. Just to help, both of them to get in safety.
A few floating plants would also help make them feel safe. Plus the pencils like to forage among floaters too.

-r
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
Hi all,
Nice tank. If you want to breed them dont get otos. If you dont want to breed them get the otos. :)
Otocinclus are fry safe. I've had hundreds of Apistogramma raised in the tanks with Otocinclus.

Other than obviously predatory fish, the fish I've had issues with are the two dwarf Corydoras species, C. pygmaeus and C. hastatus, they live entirely happily with Apistogramma and appear a good dither. I think it is a size issue and the issue is that they eat similarly sized food items to the cichlid fry, and get in among the moss and leaf litter. This means there aren't the rotifers etc. that would normally be supplementary food for the fry.

cheers Darrel
 

Ben Rhau

Apisto Club
Messages
566
Location
San Francisco
This means there aren't the rotifers etc. that would normally be supplementary food for the fry.
I hadn't thought of that, and it makes sense. I'd always thought it was because, although pygmy corys can occupy multiple levels of the tank, they tend to rest and forage at the bottom, where they aren't welcome during breeding time. They're not a predator to the fry, but they aren't smart enough to stop swimming directly into conflict.
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
Hi all,
I hadn't thought of that, and it makes sense. I'd always thought it was because, although pygmy corys can occupy multiple levels of the tank, they tend to rest and forage at the bottom, where they aren't welcome during breeding time. They're not a predator to the fry, but they aren't smart enough to stop swimming directly into conflict.
I keep very weedy tanks, and I've not had any problems with aggression from the cichlids. I've had a trickle of fry from both catfish in those tanks, but very few cichlid fry.

cheers Darrel
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK

Ben Rhau

Apisto Club
Messages
566
Location
San Francisco
I've been keeping Amano shrimps with cf. resticulosa and the shrimp seem to survive fine. I wonder if they also affect the availability of infusoria, but it probably depends on the tank.
 

dw1305

Well-Known Member
5 Year Member
Messages
2,755
Location
Wiltshire UK
Hi all,
I've been keeping Amano shrimps with cf. resticulosa and the shrimp seem to survive fine. I wonder if they also affect the availability of infusoria, but it probably depends on the tank.
People have bred Red Cherry Shrimps and Dwarf Corydoras in the same tank without any problem (I'm going to say <"it was @Apistomaster?">).

cheers Darrel
 

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