New, and looking for a beautiful pair

[anewbie]

Well my experience is that if a pair forms while some cover is very useful it is not nearly as critical as it is for the polygamous species. I could of course be mistaken and welcome correction but my memory of the pair of Nij. i had is they did not do the constant chasing that i see with the polygamous species. Having said that i also see very little chasing with my a. lineta though i do not believe they are pair forming but that is a side topic (with other species i've had it is of course more important that the female can hide when she is not in a breeding mood).

 

[PolskaPisto]

For any blanket concerns, the shiny tank that you see is a couple of months away before I add any Orinoco bioscape.

Here is the aim:

The intent is a presentable, Orinoco bioscape fit for a dozen tetra and a single pair of Apistogramma. It will include multiple beachwoods and caves.

I will not be adding sand. I understand you all see a new user, but I will not risk my pets by putting them under a 40 watt light and ‘seeing what happens’.

It is certainly not going to be a cracked out high CO2 fashionscape. These are the products that look good in my home and ease my maintenance.

I am growing out that tank and ensuring an early cycle before I introduce any living creature to it. I am certainly not a seasoned aquarist, but I have done plenty of dirted and thriving tanks with and without sand.

I would encourage conversation before assumptions. I understand everyone would like to air out their many years of apisto husbandry, but mend your approach.

 

[Mike Wise]

anewbie, if your A. lineata are anything like the A. iniridae (both iniridae-group species) that I bred back in the 80s, they are even more choosy about breeding partners than nijsseni-group species.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

That’s not the tank they are in, certainly not my subdued and mature tank. I’m not sure how you gathered that.

Because of these pictures.

The substrate is sufficient and they will thrive. I’ve gathered enough to understand that, aside from sharp gravel, apistos well tolerate fine aqua soils as well as sand.

Honestly, that still isn't a suitable tank, or a happy Apistogramma. I understand that they are newly introduced and stressed, but they really need a complex environment, where they feel comfortable, to thrive

I quarantine all my new fish in a heavily planted tank, it is the same as all the other tanks, it just doesn't have any permanent inhabitants.

I’ve seen far worse examples on this forum and much much worse from breeders.

A local apisto breeder encouraged me to go for the trio to encourage a pair and to return a female to their Panduro/nj tank.

No, I'm not saying it's terrible and I really hope this works out for your fish, and you.

Cheers Darrel

 

[anewbie]

anewbie, if your A. lineata are anything like the A. iniridae (both iniridae-group species) that I bred back in the 80s, they are even more choosy about breeding partners than nijsseni-group species.

Yea that is possible I don't know much about them to be honest; i was just talking about my observation of violence. After the first week in both aquarium i've not observed any chasing or fighting. In the 20 long which is dedicated to two; the male will swim up to the female and she will flick her tail and he will swim away. In the 180 the observation is less careful and sometime they are near each other and sometime they are not.

The male in the 180 has developed some red on the nose (i've seen pictures with a lot of red in this area but his is just a touch); there is no colouring on the other male so not sure if they are just young et all. They do have nice finnage when displayed and the one in the 20 frequently displays to the female. Sadly this aquarium is in the basement so observation is less than full time.

The winklefleck do a lot more chasing - she will periodically turn yellow and he will stop chasing but when she is not yellow he chases her - this is a bit of difference in the behavior i was talking about.

Are a. lineta actually pair forming or polygamous?

 

[PolskaPisto]

Hi all,

Because of these pictures.

View attachment 14455

Honestly, that still isn't a suitable tank, or a happy Apistogramma. I understand that they are newly introduced and stressed, but they really need a complex environment, where they feel comfortable, to thrive

I quarantine all my new fish in a heavily planted tank, it is the same as all the other tanks, it just doesn't have any permanent inhabitants.

No, I'm not saying it's terrible and I really hope this works out for your fish, and you.

Cheers Darrel

Both are clearly females now. They have really lit up!

Keep in mind these are smaller than they appear, they are only about .75”. All very young.

Our male is opalescent blue and completely colored up as well.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
We honestly aren't just criticising for the sake of it, or because we feel superior etc.

I'll be entirely candid with you, I'm not a particularly good fish keeper and if I had been better at it, I wouldn't have needed to develop techniques for making it easier to keep fish alive, and if I hadn't found methods that worked I wouldn't be promoting them.

For any blanket concerns, the shiny tank that you see is a couple of months away.

Yes, basically the longer it grows in for the better. Healthy plant growth is the best thing for maintaining water quality.

It is certainly not going to be a cracked out high CO2 fashionscape. These are the products that look good in my home and ease my maintenance.

If you wan't ease of maintenance I'd suggest you don't use CO2. I use a floating plant as my "nutrients sponge_, they have access to atmospheric gases and are never CO2 limited.

I am growing out that tank and ensuring an early cycle before I introduce any living creature to it.

You don't need to add ammonia (NH3) to cycle the tank, you can just let the plants grow in.

Cheers Darrel

 

[PolskaPisto]

Hi all,
We honestly aren't just criticising for the sake of it, or because we feel superior etc.

I'll be entirely candid with you, I'm not a particularly good fish keeper and if I had been better at it, I wouldn't have needed to develop techniques for making it easier to keep fish alive, and if I hadn't found methods that worked I wouldn't be promoting them.

Yes, basically the longer it grows in for the better. Healthy plant growth is the best thing for maintaining water quality.

If you wan't ease of maintenance I'd suggest you don't use CO2. I use a floating plant as my "nutrients sponge_, they have access to atmospheric gases and are never CO2 limited.

You don't need to add ammonia (NH3) to cycle the tank, you can just let the plants grow in.

Cheers Darrel

My most successful tanks are a walstad-esque dirted tank with plenty of emerged growth and floating plants, and another with the same growth and principle housing my lonely macmasteri. The first is a sparkling gourami breeding facility.

The emersed growth is a must!

As that tank higher tech tank grows in, the CO2 and lighting will definitely be subdued!

 

[MacZ]

We honestly aren't just criticising for the sake of it, or because we feel superior etc.

I can only sign that. It's more that we see a lot here and have seen a lot elsewhere. Assumption or not, over time you notice some red flags. Your descriptions and the freshly planted tank ticked some boxes. In the end it's just about the fishes wellbeing. If you knew what we encounter here on some days...

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

My most successful tanks are a walstad-esque dirted tank with plenty of emerged growth and floating plants,

I'm a Walstad fan. One thing I like about her is that she revised her opinions (to <"include water changes and some circulation">) after she had written <"The Ecology of the Planted Aquarium">.

It was the "aerial advantage" that led directly to the "Duckweed Index" - <The "aerial advantage" and why it is so important.>

cheers Darrel

 

[PolskaPisto]

Updating here as well. My pair has bred in their holding tank.