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Hardy apistos

Messages
76
Hey! I was wondering if anyone has recommendations for hardy apistos, but some more uncommon species, I plan on setting up a 20 gallon long for a pair, the tankmates will be a school of some kind of tetra or pencilfish
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,959
Location
Germany
If I understand correctly they mean a hardy apisto that is not commonly found.

I have no idea. What species I consider hardy are also commonly found in the trade, as think the commonly available ones are commonly availabe because they are hardy. (and with overbreeding this is taking full circle back to finnicky).
 
Messages
76
Yeah I meant a hardy apisto that’s not commonly found, maybe I’ll do a wild pair or a pair with wild type colors, still trying to pick a species
 

MacZ

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,959
Location
Germany
Depending on where you live this might be hard to solve.

Here (Europe) you would have to look for wild forms of A. hongsloi, A. borellii or A. macmasteri.
A. cacatuoides and A. agassizii are already almost only found as domestic strains in the trade.

Wild does not automatically mean hardy. Quite the opposite if you pick a species that likes it really soft and acidic. Wild type might be hard to find also, especially when many wild forms of are misidentified as rarer species.

So... look what's even available to you and if you see something that catches your eye find out what it is. And please do not pull the trigger on any fish you cannot ID.
 
Messages
76
Depending on where you live this might be hard to solve.

Here (Europe) you would have to look for wild forms of A. hongsloi, A. borellii or A. macmasteri.
A. cacatuoides and A. agassizii are already almost only found as domestic strains in the trade.

Wild does not automatically mean hardy. Quite the opposite if you pick a species that likes it really soft and acidic. Wild type might be hard to find also, especially when many wild forms of are misidentified as rarer species.

So... look what's even available to you and if you see something that catches your eye find out what it is. And please do not pull the trigger on any fish you cannot ID.
Gotcha, thanks!
 

Ben Rhau

Apisto Club
Messages
566
Location
San Francisco
If you’re in the US, here are a few I know you could get, and should be easy to keep:

- cacatuoides wild form (most people only keep the color strains)
- borellii Bella Union (F5+, illegal to collect wilds now)
- alacrina
- D37

Starting in the spring, you can also just see what’s available and research them to see what you like.
 

anewbie

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,366
If you go to a site like aquaticclarity.com or wetspottropicalfish.com and look at their in stock fishes they will list which are tank raised and which are wild caught.
 

Mike Wise

Moderator
Staff member
5 Year Member
Messages
11,202
Location
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
I had a chuckle. Maybe it is only me, but I find most apistos hardy - IF (and sometimes a BIG IF) they were properly shipped, held and later quarantined by me. Once out of quarantine and in proper water conditions they seem as hardy as any fish. Of all the fish that I collected in the wild I cannot think of any that did not live long happy lives in my tanks. I think it was because they were treated correctly from the beginning.
 

anewbie

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,366
I had a chuckle. Maybe it is only me, but I find most apistos hardy - IF (and sometimes a BIG IF) they were properly shipped, held and later quarantined by me. Once out of quarantine and in proper water conditions they seem as hardy as any fish. Of all the fish that I collected in the wild I cannot think of any that did not live long happy lives in my tanks. I think it was because they were treated correctly from the beginning.
What is long? I find domestic cockatoo are only living a couple of years; my hongsloi are around 3 as is my female nijjensi. Can they live 10 years or is it closer to 5?
 

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