I need help

[Z400]

But i dont know where to begin.
I joined this forum a few days ago.
And ever since ive been visiting this place multiple times each hour,
wanting to ask a question or wanting to get some help. But i cannot
figure out what to say or what to ask.

For starters..
Ive got a Female Fire Red, her mate passed away (i feel terrible about this)
Ive also got 2 Triple Red's and 2 more which i think are called Borellii Blues.

Im not too smart on the full names of these awesome fish.
The 2 triple reds and the 2 blues are all around 1/2" in length.
I have the 4 of them in a 10 gallon, ive got a 20L i need to move them into.



I dont know what to ask...
I need help :redface:


The male Fire Red.. I bought the male and the female from a breeder about 3 hours from me. I got both fish home..Both fish were doing excellent.
For about a month..

I acclimated them over the course of about 4 hours.
Finally released them into a 55g.
Ive got 4 angels, a gourami, 9 Glow light tetras, 8 serpae tetras, 4 cardinal tetras and 2 neon tetras.

Everything was going well, both cichlids seemed very happy.
About a month later i noticed the male was hiding alot. Not coming out for food. But if i found him, and got him to come out of his spot, he would eat.
I knew something was wrong, i asked and asked and asked around.. no one could figure it out. PH was right around 7.0, all my other water readings were pretty much perfect. Wasnt having any problems.

He then started hanging out in the corners of the aquarium..
And then one day i noticed him wrapped up in a plant, no color, no eye balls.. he was dead. My heart sank.


I cant let this happen again.



Ive got a 90 gallon i need to get to setting up.
I would like to get 1 pair in the 20L with maybe a few other fish.
Im into planted aquariums so both will be planted..well thats the plan
anyways.

 

[Mike Wise]

Usually when apistos are eating but hanging out at the top of the tank and hiding in plant, it indicates that it is being attacked by some other fish. Larger angels and larger gourami species aren't the best community members for apistos.

 

[Z400]

I was told other wise about the Angels, the Gourami is a dwarf.

So that is good to know.
I still have the female in there and i am always seeing her out and about.

 

[Z400]

With 1 male Triple Red, how many females for a 20L?

 

[Mike Wise]

It depends a lot on how the tank is decorated. I keep 2 females if the tank is fairly open. If densely planted (can't see anywhere from the front to back or side to side) you might be able to keep 4 if you're lucky.

 

[Z400]

I think 1 male and 1 female will be plenty now that I think about it.

 

[bigbird]

Hi Sean,

Sorry to hear of the loss, just rember, set up the new tank with lots of borders, rocks, caves, plants , driftwood, so each fish either male or female can find a safe spot. You see, these fish live in a densly river system full of leaves, wood etc to hide in. In the tank if you do not provide this, they will chase each other, till one succumbs to exchaustion and death. If a male sees a female its urges will chase it for mating, but if you have enough hidding spots, this will ease it for everybody. cheers jk

 

[RLOPES]

i Think that a 20l tank is too small even for a couple, you should have at least 40l for a couple. I manage to breed with a couple in a 48l tank, just with ottoclincus as company.

 

[Mud Pie Mama]

i Think that a 20l tank is too small even for a couple, .

Since the OP (original poster) is in the USA - Illinois; his 20L refers to a 20 gallon long tank: 30 inches long by 12 inches deep and 12 in high. This tank has a longer foot print than the standard 20 gallon high tank at 24" x 12" x 16".
( Quite a bit bigger than 20 liters.)

Z400, welcome to the Apistogramma forum! I 'm also into planted tanks - lov em!

I 've never had luck keeping the A. agassizii in anything but soft water. The males especially were always the first to go downhill. Although you state the pH was 7.0, is this due to your injecting CO2? What is your TDS? Or your KH?

Both A. cacatuoides and A. borellii are more forgiving about harder water.

 

[jose_vogel]

Yes, that´s right different countries, different units.

A 20L is about 71 liters.


In my country there´s no such thing as standard measures for tanks. You want a tank, you´ve to tell the measures to the LFS (as well as the thick of the glass).

My breeding Apistos tanks are 50cmx45cmx30cm (height) for 68 liters or, if you prefer 20ix18ix12i (height) for 17 gallons.