From Frogs to Fish!

[Paluscape]

Hi everyone,

My name is Felix, based in London, UK.

Have kept some form of funky animal at many points of my life, tropical fish included, but have had to rehome due to moving around for school, work etc.

Finally I'm settled in my place and have 3 vivariums with poison frogs and glass frogs which I absolutely love.

I recently completed the hardscape for a 100L low cube aquarium, in which I intend to house and hopefully breed some A. Agassizii.

Looking forward to hearing recommendations on whether they right species for me and what (if any) tankmates will work with them!

Cheers! Frog pics for tax

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
Welcome to Apistogramma.com

I recently completed the hardscape for a 100L low cube aquarium, in which I intend to house and hopefully breed some A. Agassizii.

Picture of the tank would be useful, basically you need lots of plants and cover, rockscape is much less important to Apistogramma spp.

What are the dimensions of the cube?

A lot of people make extensive use of "structural leaf litter" and floating plants. It doesn't really matter what you use, but "plenty" is required to break up line of sight.

If you aren't a member of <"UKAPS?"> It would be worth joining.

For breeding, do you have a source of soft "non London" water? You will need one, and also live food.

cheers Darrel

 

[Paluscape]

@dw1305 Thanks for the detailed response.

Yep I have joined UKAPS and was directed here for advice on stocking and care. I have been a lurker here for a while, and read various bits of info, but good to get specific tips such as 'non-London water' for Apistos - this is brilliant information.

Here is the hardscape, more/less. I might add some more rocks in the background to slope up the substrate but generally it's done. 60cm W x 60cm D x 30cm H.



Proposed stocking list - going for an Amazon-inspired aquarium, specifically looking at flora and fauna from Amazonas state in Brazil:
For plants, I like the following ~sympatric species:

• Echinodorus Palifolius
• Vallisneria sp.
• Phyllanthus Fluitans
• Staurogyne Repens
• Lilaeopsis Brasiliensis
• Hydrocleys Nymphoides

and some definitely allopatric species that I still love:

• Bucephelandra sp.
• Anubius small varieties
• Vallisneria Nana
• Hygrophila Pinnatifida
• Nymphaea Lotus
• Eleocharis Pusilla
• Marsilea Hirsuta
• Glossostigma Elatinoides
• Cryptocoryne Parva

For fish, I was thinking about tetras, but seen that aqadvisor says the smaller tetra species could be bullied during breeding. I have been warned away from keeping corys with Apistogramma, and pencilfish/hatchetfish sound like they'd jump out of my rimless aquarium.

The tetras I found to inhabit similar areas are:

Ruby, Cardinal, Glowlight, Serpae, Neon, Fireheaded (Rummynose), Green neon

Open to all suggestions and also love the idea of a species-only tank, especially if the fish will be visible most of the time.

 

[Yvonne G]

Welcome to the Forum, Felix!

 

[MacZ]

The tetras I found to inhabit similar areas are:

Ruby, Cardinal, Glowlight, Serpae, Neon, Fireheaded (Rummynose), Green neon

To quote Mike Wise:
A breeding tank is not a community tank. All of these tetras are fry predators.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

but good to get specific tips such as 'non-London water' for Apistos - this is brilliant information.

You would need either rain-water or RO. I'm a <"rain-water user">, but you can buy RO cheaply from "Spotless Water" etc.

60cm W x 60cm D x 30cm H.

That is good, plenty of floor space.

and also love the idea of a species-only tank, especially if the fish will be visible most of the time.

The Apistogramma are more likely to show if they have lots of cover (and ideally <"some dither fish"> as well), but it is quite tricky in an open-topped tank.

All of these tetras are fry predators.

Black-Neon Tetra (Hyphessobrycon herbertaxelrodi) <"might be a possibility">?

cheers Darrel

 

[anewbie]

You can breed with ember tetra - as i know first hand; but certainly the larger ones like cardinals and the dimaond shape ones are going to eat most of the frys. Having said that you can also go with some of the top dwelling rasbora like kubotai though they do a lot better in a long tank where they can flex their fins. And of course the site favorite of pencil fishes are also welcomed.

Black-neon tetra i have the negative side is they are fairly large - bit larger than cardinals the positive is the ones i have stay near the top. I don't have them with a species of apistogramma but rather with my b. cupido and m. egregius - what i can say is my m. egregius constantly breed and the black-neon tetra stay far away.