I need to make a decision this morning

[sherry]

so, someone help please

I have a 20 inch square 35 gallon cube that is heavilly planted with a couple of drftwood caves

I currently have a trio of apisto cacatoides, male at least is triple red.

Can I ... Add more apistos ? I sort of live in dread fear of one of my two much smaller than the male females dying and I am alwasy fretting that i can never see more than one at a time...

or and ... can I add a dwarf spiney eel, like zig zag?

already decided to replace my rummy tetras wth beckford's pencilfish.

have some feather fin rainbows.

advice please.

 

[HaakonH]

Hi,

IF you should decide to add another Apisto species, some territorial disputes will certainly occur. The aggression varies from species to species and from individual to individual, but in my opinion you should avoid adding Apistos, and perhaps add a different kind of Dwarf Cihlid, i.e. one of the smaller Laetacara species or Microgeophagus. Some quarreling may still occur, but probably not as intense as if you added another Apisto species.

Spiney Eels are predators, and if you want your Apistos to breed, the offspring will certainly become food for the eel. Also, the Spiney Eel will prefer a somewhat higher pH and hardness to thrive, and even likes somewhat brackish water. I suggest if you'd like some kind of eel you should go for Kuhlii Loaches (Pangio kuhlii) which will fit in very well with what you already have.

Hope this helps

 

[aspen]

if you have a little patience, and you keep those fish nicely, you'll have more than enough off-spring to fill that tank.

rick

 

[rsa1]

Question for HaakonH

HaakonH

What kind of fish is that in your message profile?
Thanks!

 

[sherry]

I'm going to add another female. the two I have are very young and one seems much healthier than the other. I'd love all three to live, but I'll feel better with at least one spare to the trio.

skipping the eel to give the apistos a good shot at breeding... not that I need babies, but I would love to let that happen. I'm sure it wont be hard to find foster homes if I ever really did fill the tank

about loaches.. i have a few hillstreams and have been told that given that they are timid sort, I should NOT add other loaches.

it's too bad.. I am a little red ramshorn overrun. Oh well.I guess picking them out and donating them will be the best I can do.

 

[HaakonH]

Rsa1; It's "Nannacara" adoketa.

Sherry; Kuhlii-loaches are not really loaches when it comes to what we think of as common loach-behaviour; they are very peaceful, shy bottom-dwelling fish which never bother other fish and will most likely be overlooked by your hillstreams. So don't worry about that, if you want them

 

[sherry]

they sound nice.. a friend has some in a tiny tank she uses to grow out snails.. so they would be more for pleasure than for work.

now have to wait until my lfs or someone gets them in !!

 

[sherry]

btw. changed my mind about adding the females. I've had more time to scan this site adn I think I will be better off trusting my trio to survive and then adding another female if someone doesn't make it.

the tank is heavilly planted.. I really wish I could add more dwarfs, so if anyone has any miracle ideas as to what co-exists with apistos in 20 square inches of space, by all means tell me. .. but other than that it will be apistos plecs featherfins and pencils.

 

[Mike Wise]

HaakonH,

Did you get your "N." adoketa from Alf Stalsberg? That is who I got my specimens from.