Hello folks.

[Mottfish]

Hello

I've never kept cichlids before and have only ever had community tanks in the past. I've got an old 20g tank I'd like to do something with and would like to keep some Apistos. I've done a bit of research but was just wondering what you folks would recommend. I'd like to get a pair of something other than your average Ram. (Perhaps a pair of A. panduro which looked nice if I could find them somewhere, but something 'different'.) I'd like to get a group of pencilfish to go with them as I've seen a few types in LFS around my area so they shouldn't be too hard to get and perhaps a few Cory's? Just wondering what you think and perhaps could suggest?

I'm not sure on how hard it is to get some species here in the UK, so I may be being a bit un-realistic in what I want. (Are there many peeps from the UK on here?)

Cheers. :biggrin:

 

[ed seeley]

Hi Mottfish,
Welcome to the forum, and to cichlids!

There's quite a few Brits on here, but always good to have more!

Your LFS may be able to get a decent range in if they import fish from the Czech Republic as they have a good range of species like A.nijsenni, agassizi and cactuoides among others. If you want something more unusual then Peter Lovett (http://dwarfcichlid.co.uk//), Biddulph Aquatics (http://www.biddulph-aquatics.co.uk/) and Trimar (http://www.tropicalfish.org.uk/) all have a range of apistos and some do delivery or can get them to you somehow.

If you were a bit closer I could hopefully offer you some A.eremnopyge in a few weeks as I have a nice brood of them growing on!

Hope that helps!

 

[beleg]

Welcome to the forum Mottfish , enjoy your stay

 

[Mottfish]

Thanks! And thanks for the info.

Quick question (I'll post somewhere else if I don't get a response.)

What would you recommend as the best ways to make the tank water more softer and acidic? (Other than using RO water.) How would i go about doing so? Are there substrates which will help this?