Macmastri/Viejita Biotope Community

[Jackson Hutchison]

Hello all,

I'm new to Apistogramma.com, so bear with me.

As the title states, I would like to create a biotope around A. Macmasteri/Viejita. I have never kept Apistos before, but have done research and A.Macmacsteri really caught my fancy, plus I read they are quite hardy. For the other members of the tank, I was thinking;

12 or so dithers
Maybe a pleco or corys

The tank is a 20g (24"-12"-16" I think )
Ph: 7.5 ( I have added 12 oak leaves to lower ph and create tank is )
Kh: 200
Gh: 160

Thanks in advance

 

[davidjp1982]

Macmasteri are stunning fish - look forward to seeing the progress of your setup

 

[Jackson Hutchison]

After some research, I have now come up with a stocking list, and a back up if the A.Macmacsteri aren' t available or too pricey (I don't have a job yet, so funds are tight)

Primary Setup:

A pair of A.Macmacsteri
12 Pristella maximillius (X-Ray tetras)
1 Clown pleco or Banjo Catfish

Alternative Setup:

A pair of A. Hongsloi or M. Ramerzei ( Probably Rams because of the high temps cardinals prefer & that rams love, too)
12 Cardinal tetras
8 Corydoras Habrosus

Thank in advance

 

[Mike Wise]

Should work as a community tank, but don't expect much success at breeding if that's what you want.

 

[Jackson Hutchison]

Thanks Mike,I'm going to a store that has a whole row (about 50 or so tanks) of SA dwarfs, so I have a pretty good chance of finding A. Macmacsteri, and their tank mates, too bad it's an hour away, and across the bay bridge I'll send an update with (hopefully) pictures soon. Not too worried about fry yet, plus I have a spare 10g.

Thanks in advance

 

[JasonC]

which LFS has that many SA dwarfs? You should feel privileged to live within an hour of such a store!

 

[bseitz234]

^ No kidding, although I"m probably lucky I don't live nearby, I don't think my girlfriend would be happy to come home to more tanks.

 

[JasonC]

So Jackson, just as a stab in the dark, when you say bay bridge, do you mean the Chesapeake Bay bridge in MD?

 

[Jackson Hutchison]

Yes Jason, correct. Scratch the 50, but 35 or so sounds about right the most recent time I went, which was on Thursday, but before they had about about a dozen of Apistos, this time about 8-9? The place is called the house of tropicals, and you'll get a kick out of the giant gourami "Tiny Twanda". Funny fish! But anyway, at the store, I got a school of 8 pygmy corydoras, and well, there it for that trip . But if the next time I go if there are macmasteri, or "Viejita", I'll probably end up with keyholes

(PS, I only brought $50, and 2 macmasteri fetched $60, so I was short, but the keyholes were only $4 a piece, but sexing them troubled me, so I held off, plus macmasteri is still a favorite)

Thanks in advance

 

[Jackson Hutchison]

I think I actually counted 46 last time, but less this time around.

 

[JasonC]

Ha! My daughter loves Twanda... we end up spending 4 or 5 minutes just standing in the entryway watching her. People think we are wierd. ;P HoT is one of my favorite LFS's... unfortunately one of few left in the area. If you are making the drive again sometime soon, you should check out Go Fish in Rosedale. Its a newer store started by some of the former Exotic Aquatics (R.I.P.) employees. Not a lot in the way of dwarf cichlds, but really good stock of some of the more basic stuff. Got some gorgeous lemon tetras and bleeding heart tetras.

Nice to see yet another MD'er on the forum!

 

[Jackson Hutchison]

Yeah, Its one of the few left in MD, and its a trek form the eastern shore. I'll be sure to look for Go Fish. Thank Jason .