Keeping an apisto?

[idkrly]

I want to keep a single apistogramma in a 18x10x10 inch tank. Its going to be heavily planted, lots of driftwood, rocks and caves. Specific species im looking at is an Apistogramma Macmasteri. It will be the onlt thing in the tank, maybe a couple bumblebee gobies. All help appreciated! This is most likely temporary because i intend on upgrading in 6 months or so.

 

[anewbie]

Apistogramma are a larger species and I would suggest you look at something smaller for such a small area.

I was going to suggest borelli but to be honest that might be pushing it. Just not a lot of swimming room. If you did get a male borelli i would keep it alone until you found a larger aquarium.

 

[Greg M Mulvihill]

Agreed with the above. That's too small of a tank for an adult to be fully comfortable.

 

[Mike Wise]

Your proposed tank, ~7 US gallons, is not much smaller than a standard 10 gallon in bottom surface, so it is acceptable for one smaller apisto, at least temporarily until you can house it in something larger. Bumble Bee Gobys, however, will be a poor mix with an apisto since they need slightly brackish water.

 

[firenzenz]

I agree with others that that tank is probably just too small for even a small apisto like trifasciata let alone a larger variety like Macmasteri. Wait for. Bigger tank or if you want a great little character fish for smalll fish perhaps a pair of scarlet Badis would be a better fit fit planted tank that size. They only get to just over an inch in size. I have a 20g quite heavily planted with 3 males and a school of dwarf spot rasboras. Very entertaining

 

[MacZ]

I'd like to add something, because I've seen a lot of misunderstandings happening due to the common name of this fish:
It's a Dario dario. This should widen the options to research this fish a lot.

Also a side note: They are related to Bettas and Gourami and neither cichlids nor true perch.

 

[firenzenz]

I'd like to add something, because I've seen a lot of misunderstandings happening due to the common name of this fish:
It's a Dario dario. This should widen the options to research this fish a lot.

Also a side note: They are related to Bettas and Gourami and neither cichlids nor true perch.

Absolutely correct. But I think even if you google Dario dario though it will lead straight to ‘Scarlet Badis’ in title. I thought dwarf spot rasbora was also more user friendly than ‘boraras Maculatus’ for this particular thread. I just wondered if these species, although not cichlids, would not a better fit as an occupant for a 28 ltr tank?
I Couldn’t really see any apisto being happy in there nor perhaps any of the larger badidae sp.

 

[MacZ]

I just wondered if these species, although not cichlids, would not a better fit as an occupant for a 28 ltr tank?

Absolutely, I kept them briefly in 10 Liters as a species tank, An acquaintance breeds them in 20l.

The biggest advantages:
- no heater needed
- wild caught specimens come from naturally hard water
- thus tankbred fish are also very much adapted to hard water
- 10 liters suffice for a duo or a single specimen, breeding is possible in 20

Only disadvantage: Many of them will only take live food and I honestly have come to not trust that they are used to dry foods and frozen foods, no matter what the store says.

 

[Ben Rhau]

It is also usually impossible to find a female Dario dario.

 

[MacZ]

It is also usually impossible to find a female Dario dario.

Can't agree. At least here they are available in half the stores

 

[anewbie]

Can't agree. At least here they are available in half the stores

Depends on region; you are in europe and Ben is in USA (where it is hard to find females); no clue about the thread creator.

 

[MacZ]

Obviously it's dependend on the location. I know several stores here slso only offer males.

 

[firenzenz]

Absolutely, I kept them briefly in 10 Liters as a species tank, An acquaintance breeds them in 20l.

The biggest advantages:
- no heater needed
- wild caught specimens come from naturally hard water
- thus tankbred fish are also very much adapted to hard water
- 10 liters suffice for a duo or a single specimen, breeding is possible in 20

Only disadvantage: Many of them will only take live food and I honestly have come to not trust that they are used to dry foods and frozen foods, no matter what the store

Can't agree. At least here they are available in half the stores

Virtually impossible here in NZ. we might might get one female sneak through every now and then and in general our fish imports are fairly restrictive because of our bio security laws and of lesser quality because of our small population and limited numbers of people that can spread the cost of such fish and the import/quarantine costs. That's a big difference between you and me when it comes to certain fish species and availability. I would love to have an ivanacara adoketa tank but the species/genus isn't even allowed here( no clue why not). Germany would be one of the best places to live if you're into specialised and rare fish? Not a good or bad thing. just realistic observation and I'm quite jealous most of the time but make do with what I can.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all

Can't agree. At least here they are available in half the stores

Unfortunately not in the UK.

Cheers Darrel

 

[nannostomuseques]

It is the same story here in the Netherlands, often many males will look like females but at the size of fresh import they are hard to tell apart. However they turn out to be sneaker males in 99% of cases.
I am located in NL and I do breed Dario dario so I can supply anyone interested in making the trip with a 100% sure female.. however the males also get along just fine. But in a 10g I would only put one male.
Cheers
Anna