new tank set up

[chappy]

Hi everyone,
I am new to this site although it does seem very informative already. Have packed in keeping/breeding discus to get into apistogrammas.Wondered if i posted my proposed set-up you could give it the once over.

1. Tank- choose of two 36x12x15 or 21x16x16. Idea is to house a pair or harem with a few tetras.
2. Filter- external with a bit of sponge to reduce output flow. UV stralizer connected.
3. Water-ro remineralised.Temperature ?
4. Lighting- dennerle special plant lights
5. Substrate- dennerle deponit covered with quartz gravel ,probably black. Undersoil heating cable
6. Others- fully planted with co2 unit
7. Fish- sugestions from everyone welcome but i am a bit worried that tank with smaller floor space could be a problem with some species with regards to territory.
8. books- can someone suggest a good one with nice pics. and various water parameters for differing species.

 

[apistoireland]

The bigger the tank the better. No news here. The height of the tank doesn't really matter.
If you can let us know what fish you can get hold of in your area, I'm sure there will be some suggestion from the forum. Since you bred discus before I would think you will not have to start off with what would be considered beginners species.

I'm sure your high tech approach will work but you can achieve the same result with much less expenditure.
Temperature will depend on species but generally 24-25 celcius will do fine for most species. Somewhat higher if you want to breed.

As far as books are concerned you really can't beat Roemer's book.

 

[Mike Wise]

For the larger 30 (US) gallon tank, any pair or trio of apistos will do fine, for the small, I would suggest A. borellii, but probably can do well with some other species like A. cacatuoides, A. agassizii, A. bitaeniata. Surface dwelling tetras would make the best mates for your apistos, pencilfishes are ideal. They live in the same habitats as apistos and are not efficient fry predators like some of the other shooling tetras.

As for beginners books, most people will recommend Cichlid Atlas 1 by Uwe Römer. It has a wealth of information for the money. Unfortunately it is a bit dated (published in 1997) and is out of print from the publisher until early next year. It also has some misidentified species (less than most), but if you can find a copy - buy it!

AquaLog's Southamerican Cichlids II is another option. It is about the same age as Cichlid Atlas, but has 5 inserts that update the book. It is mostly a picture catalog and has very little information. It also has the problem of having poorly identified species. Probably 20% of the species in it are now misidentified.

A similar book, but much newer (2005), with a bit more information is the special publication (Sonderheft) by the German magazine Datz, Südamerikanishe Zwergcichliden/South American Dwarf Cichlids. Like the Aqualog book, it is printed in both German and English. Its main drawback is that it shows species that you will lust after, but are hard to find. Identifications are accurate. For sample pages see: http://www.datz.de/hEIZ2DHAlC1Ql7YN...07586CB2A3053A2B69ED50820786F024E70D821C5FD17
I know that this book is available in the UK.

 

[thegnu]

welcome chappy

hi chappy,
good to see you getting into apisto's. if you have the success like you had with discus then you'll do well. i'll e-mail you some good sites where you can buy fish. anyway must go see you @ work
stephen

 

[chappy]

Thanks for the replies guys, much appreciated.

 

[chappy]

Hi me again,

ApistoIreland- Locally i can get the more common species occasionally agassizii,ramerizi,cacatuoides and kribensis. I quite fancy A. Borellii or just saw a pic. of hongsloi II, very nice.Are these especially difficult to keep/breed.Come on steve we need a trip to get some.

Mike- Thanks for the idea of the pencilfish, may well give this a go as i have never kept these before.

Steve- Come on fella email me those sites, you must be working hard,glad someone is.

 

[apistoireland]

None of them are especially hard to keep, not if you kept/bred discus.
A. hongsloi II are nice but need quite a large territory per male. I'm actually keeping mine with discus at a temperature of 28 C. Borrelis are probably the typical 'first apisto' (they were mine anyway). There are different strains. Try not to mix them.
Kribs are not apistos. They are from Africa. Nice though. Have a look at Pelviachromis teaniatus. Very nice.
If you should go for M. ramirezi try to get either wild caught, F1 or German bred stock. Stay away from Asian stock and any sort of fish with extented fins, etc. Not very long lived and will not care for their brood.

 

[chappy]

Cheers Apitoireland,

Just why i joined this forum,I am learning already.