My vision for a 20 long planted apisto tank!

[Turd-Fergusenick]

I am starting a 20 long apisto tank. I am heavily planting it. Using a completely grass planted mirosword bottom. 2 pieces of African Rootwood. Heudilotii Bolbetiis, Red Tiger Lotus, Green Crypts, Java Moss. The vision is as follows. I slant the mud substrate from back to front. I cover the bottom completely with microsword. 3 inches from the front of the tank i will start planting the Green Crypts and plant them heavily next to each other almost all the way to the tank back. In one back coner i plant a cluster of Heudilotii Bolbetiis in the other back corner i will have a cluster of Red Tiger Lotus. In the back middle i will have some african rootwood that will extend into the middle of the tank. I will also find a spot for a coconut shell cave. The wood and coconuts will be covered with java moss. I will have a glass hood with two strip lights to supply ample plant conditions. The tank mates i want are as follows

-Apisto. cacautoides "white/yellow"

-3 otos

- i want a small shoal of panda corys (will they eat fry?)


I want opinions and suggestions. This will be my first attempt at apistos, and i have already taken all precautions . I have installed an R/O unit. I will have peat fiber in my filter.

Thanks-----Nick

 

[Apistt_ed]

..

Hello,
Sounds absolutely stunning! I guess you've done a good amount of planning and I would love to see what it looks like! Hope pictures are coming soon... And the cacatuoides will love it! The R/O unit might have been uncalled for if you were just going to keep the Cacatuoides but, now that you have one (R/o unit) installed, your apisto dreams and creations will be virtually unlimited!! Welcome to the world of apistos! If you have any questions along the way, there are more than enough qualified people in here, who at the very least, can point you towards your answers. Once again, welcome into the "gang".

john

 

[Turd-Fergusenick]

Thanks ed--

I dont think pictuers will come "soon", but they will come and hopefully be totally worth whatever wait there is. I thank you for your support. Is it a problem for me to have the entire bottom of the future tank planted with some kind or aquarium grass or micro sword?

--Thanks again

 

[Apistt_ed]

..

Is it a problem for me to have the entire bottom of the future tank planted with some kind or aquarium grass or micro sword?

ABSOLUTELY NOT! A well planted tank is great! Because there isn't any floor showing, there's still no problem because Cacatuoides aren't really sand sifters.

 

[Turd-Fergusenick]

cool! Would it be smart to have 2 male apistos in the same 20 long tank????

 

[cootwarm]

I've had good luck keeping together multiple young males that matured together, but I think there would be trouble if you tossed 2 dominant males into the same tank. Also I think your 20 gallon long might be a little small for more than 1 male for anything other than borellii or trifasciata. I usually keep multiple males in 30 gallon long tanks. A 20 gallon might be a little confined if trouble breaks out. (Not much room to escape if need be)

But if you can get young cacatuoides, it might worth a try, but keep a close eye on them. Individual temperments vary so it might work out. But then it might only work out until they mature. I've found that if the subordinate males don't challange the dominant male and back off, there aren't any aggression problems. I find that the dominant male displays his fins and colors more with other males in the tank.

I haven't tried multiple males with cacatuoides yet myself, because there are so many different varieties that I keep just pairs & trios in smaller tanks (10 & 20 gal) so I can keep each variety. I currently have Orange Flash, Triple Red, and wild caught. Soon I hope to get some White cacatuoides.

Michael

 

[Turd-Fergusenick]

I want white cacatuoides too!!!! So beautiful! If mine breed i may work out a way to send you some for cheap!

Thanks for your input