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[Bob-pistos]

Hi I’m Bob, just finding a way into the Apistos hobby. I personally live in Vietnam, where my room temp revolves around 27-29 Celsius year round so I figured it would be suitable to keep a pair. Set up this tank, trying to simulate the blackwater of their natural environment, is this alright? Or do I need to change something? I’m planning to have a pair of agassizii or trifas, are there any cautions I need to pay attentions to? Also, around here, people tends to feed their fishes a type of worm called Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri or “thread worms” if translated, is this suitable for the apistos,because i couldn’t find any blackworms around.

 

[MacZ]

Hey Bob, welcome! My partner's cousin is in Vietnam until November for field studies in som biological field, but I don't know which one exactly.

Anyhow, to your questions:

Set up this tank, trying to simulate the blackwater of their natural environment, is this alright?

To my knowledge this is ok for A. agassizii, but not for A. trifasciata. Is it just the tint in the water or is it soft and acidic?

Or do I need to change something?

The water: Depends on your water parameters.
Structure: Depends on whether the fish can pass under the wood or not. If so, you will have to change the position, as a sight break in the lowest 10-15 cm above the sand is necessary to provide clear boundaries so the fish can evade each other. Otherwise you might want to only get a single male and no females.

Also A. trifasciata do better in lower temperatures, so if the numbers translate exactly on the tank, better go for A. agassizii. They are a tropical species. A. trifasciata are subtropical. I think the fact that people keep them in their summer outdoor breeding tabs in central Europe speaks volumes.

Also, around here, people tends to feed their fishes a type of worm called Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri or “thread worms” if translated, is this suitable for the apistos,because i couldn’t find any blackworms around.

Yes, they are fine. All kinds of worms, insect larvae and crustaceans that fit the prey category are ok. I also feed european species these fish never have seen in the wild and blackworms also don't occur in South America.

 

[Bob-pistos]

Hey Bob, welcome! My partner's cousin is in Vietnam until November for field studies in som biological field, but I don't know which one exactly.

Anyhow, to your questions:

To my knowledge this is ok for A. agassizii, but not for A. trifasciata. Is it just the tint in the water or is it soft and acidic?

The water: Depends on your water parameters.
Structure: Depends on whether the fish can pass under the wood or not. If so, you will have to change the position, as a sight break in the lowest 10-15 cm above the sand is necessary to provide clear boundaries so the fish can evade each other. Otherwise you might want to only get a single male and no females.

Also A. trifasciata do better in lower temperatures, so if the numbers translate exactly on the tank, better go for A. agassizii. They are a tropical species. A. trifasciata are subtropical. I think the fact that people keep them in their summer outdoor breeding tabs in central Europe speaks volumes.


Yes, they are fine. All kinds of worms, insect larvae and crustaceans that fit the prey category are ok. I also feed european species these fish never have seen in the wild and blackworms also don't occur in South America.

Thanks for the reply, firstly, the water color is due to indian almond leaves that I put into the tank, and the ph is around 6.5 so I figured that would be considered “soft and acidic”. So does that make it more suitable for trifasciata? Also, the piece of driftwood is like a “hollow bridge” I supposed as the fish can swim under the middle part of it and the inside of the wood can also be access through the 2 sides, would that change anything you have written?

 

[MacZ]

Thanks for the reply, firstly, the water color is due to indian almond leaves that I put into the tank, and the ph is around 6.5 so I figured that would be considered “soft and acidic”. So does that make it more suitable for trifasciata?

In general most Apistogramma prefer "soft and acidic". The hardness is virtually 0 when measured with typical aquarium trade test kits. Conductivity is the main factor for the classification of waters in South America, measuring almost 0 in blackwater, up to 50 in clearwater and up to 100 µS/cm (micro Siemens per centimeter) in whitewater. pH varies from 4.3 - 5.5 in blackwater to 7.5 in whitewater. Seasonally the pH may rise to 8 in some regions.
A. trifasciata is a clear to whitewater species to my knowledge. The temperature may be your main problem with them. A. agassizii occurs mostly in aequatorial regions, the temperatures there are higher and more constant over the year. Your choice still, but be aware the A. trifasciata may be more sickly and will age quicker than A. agassizii.

Also, the piece of driftwood is like a “hollow bridge” I supposed as the fish can swim under the middle part of it and the inside of the wood can also be access through the 2 sides, would that change anything you have written?

Not good. Means there is no real break in the lines of sight, so any dominant Apistogramma male will claim the whole of the tank for itself. Any females not ready to breed, will be chased, a second male as well. This basically applies to all dwarf cichlids to a degree. Some less (Mikrogeophagus and Dicrossus), some more (Apistogramma, Ivanacara)
I'd turn the wood over so it forms a barrier.

 

[Bob-pistos]

In general most Apistogramma prefer "soft and acidic". The hardness is virtually 0 when measured with typical aquarium trade test kits. Conductivity is the main factor for the classification of waters in South America, measuring almost 0 in blackwater, up to 50 in clearwater and up to 100 µS/cm (micro Siemens per centimeter) in whitewater. pH varies from 4.3 - 5.5 in blackwater to 7.5 in whitewater. Seasonally the pH may rise to 8 in some regions.
A. trifasciata is a clear to whitewater species to my knowledge. The temperature may be your main problem with them. A. agassizii occurs mostly in aequatorial regions, the temperatures there are higher and more constant over the year. Your choice still, but be aware the A. trifasciata may be more sickly and will age quicker than A. agassizii.


Not good. Means there is no real break in the lines of sight, so any dominant Apistogramma male will claim the whole of the tank for itself. Any females not ready to breed, will be chased, a second male as well. This basically applies to all dwarf cichlids to a degree. Some less (Mikrogeophagus and Dicrossus), some more (Apistogramma, Ivanacara)
I'd turn the wood over so it forms a barrier.

Thank u for the advices, would probably stick to agassizii and solve the line of sight problem now! And is there any tankmates u would suggest for the agassizii pair?

 

[MacZ]

You're welcome.

Tankmates: Pencilfish or tetras.