Minimum Tank Height for Apistos

[TankWatcher]

Hi there, for a divided tank that contains only a pair of SA apistos per section, what is the minimum tank height required?

How low in height can I go and what is the minimum floor plate size per pair? If I'm thinking right, floor space is more important to apistos than tank height? I'd like to sacrifice height, to give them a longer/wider tank.

What I'd like to set up is one tank that can be divided with temporary dividers to form 3 separate areas with a pair each in 2 of the sections and a spare area I could use to grow out one batch of fry, in case their parents decided to breed again. All would be planted - mainly wisteria & nana anubia on driftwood.

I've been talking to LFS who would make the tank & they will make dividers that allow water flow throughout, but won't let the little fry swim through. I have heard that some keep pairs of apistos in 10G, and also that floor space is more important to apistos than height.

Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

 

[Mike Wise]

The bottom surface area is definitely the most important. Ideally, each female should have a breeding territory at least 1 ft./30 cm in diameter. The male should have a territory that extends outside that of the female's brood territory, maybe by an additional 6"/15 cm. This can vary depending on the aquascape of the aquarium, the species, and individual fish personality. Height is not very important. Apistos in the wild are found in water as shallow as 2"/5 cm deep, rarely in depths more than 2 ft/60 cm. I would say that for ease of viewing and maintenance, a tank should be at least 6-8"/15-20 cm tall.

I use deviders to separate the male from the female when she has a brood. They work quite well, except that fry sometimes can swimm between the tank glass and the partition's vertical brace. This usually is not a problem while they are very small because the female will signal them to return. I use commercial dividers. The divider panels will become brittle and crack eventually. Then I replace them with more flexible (and stable in water) nylon "Counted Cross-stitch" grid. The panels come in various sizes, are easy to cut with scissors, come in different colors and grid openings (e.g. 7 & 12 mesh (openings per inch). This is found in fabric and craft stores. It also works well as an egg trap for egg scattering fish.

 

[Triadtropz]

ten gallon tanks work great for apistos and other dwarfs...

 

[Mike Wise]

I have bred many dwarf cichlids in 10 gallon tanks. If you are careful and separate the adults when conflicts occur, then they are fine to use. If, however, you have a larger, more aggressive, and choosy-about-partner species like A. atahualpa, then you will probably lose one of the pair. I prefer 15 & 20 gallon longs because there is enough room to allow the pair their own space.