New setup

[lab]

My newest aquarium setup, not exactly dwarfs only, but it does contain a pair of Laetacara dorsigera also:

 

[david hui]

Are they A. heckelli?

 

[lab]

Are they A. heckelli?

Indeed they are

 

[Joost S]

Howe do your Leatacara behave? They love some plants! Try to make a corner for them heavily planted. I hope your heckelli will stays of the plants all right.

 

[lab]

Howe do your Leatacara behave? They love some plants! Try to make a corner for them heavily planted. I hope your heckelli will stays of the plants all right.

I'm guessing you are asking how shy they are, since you are recommending more plants... They are doing fine, but unfortunately will not spawn. When I bought them they actually had eggs or larvae in the shop. But there you go. Never disturb a bonded pair of cichlids :redface:

The heckelii and I have an agreement: They move the plants and I put them back in the sand, and the next day they move it again. We kind of keep each other busy that way :biggrin:

 

[peterK]

Nice fish but I think this tank is better for A. heckelii (a few plants, a lot of roots and fine sand), not for dwarf cichlid.
Dimensions of this tank?

Greetings,
Peter

 

[lab]

Nice fish but I think this tank is better for A. heckelii (a few plants, a lot of roots and fine sand), not for dwarf cichlid.
Dimensions of this tank?

Dimensions: 44*44*143 cm (app. 17*17*57 in inches)

What exactly, in your opinion, makes it unsuitable for dwarfs?

To clear out misunderstandings I had the dorsigera in a tank of their own for several months, also without any spawnings. This tank is quite new.

best regards,
Lars

 

[peterK]

Hi lab

In my opinion Heckeliis can win competition for food (I think they are bigger than laetacaras :biggrin: )

Greetings,
Peter

 

[lab]

Off course the Laetacara are no competition for the heckelii. Fortunately for the Laetacara the heckelii are quite messy with their food though:tongue:

It is also possible to feed stuff selectively to heckelii. If you give them large food items like, for instance, an earthworm, they will be occupied with this for quite some time. In the mean time you can feed the Laetacara

Several years ago I had A. heckelii together with Apistogramma eunotus, among others. Interestingly enough the A. eunotus were actually able to defend and raise fry in this aquarium. So although the heckelii is a large fish, I would not consider it a tank bully. I the present situation they more or less ignore the Laetacara.

If I should have the luck that A. heckelii bred in my aquarium, we are talking a different situation. Then my face would look like this: :biggrin:

Lars

 

[peterK]

OK, Lars :wink:

I hold thumbs for your Heckeliis!

Greetings,
Peter

 

[ronv]

The dorsigera are probably not spawning because they are being intimidated by the geo's. I have a group in a 4' tank that wouldn't spawn until I removed a pair of Nannacara.

 

[lab]

The dorsigera are probably not spawning because they are being intimidated by the geo's. I have a group in a 4' tank that wouldn't spawn until I removed a pair of Nannacara.

Perhaps, but they didn't spawn in a tank of their own either.