• Hello guest! Are you an Apistogramma enthusiast? If so we invite you to join our community and see what it has to offer. Our site is specifically designed for you and it's a great place for Apisto enthusiasts to meet online. Once you join you'll be able to post messages, upload pictures of your fish and tanks and have a great time with other Apisto enthusiasts. Sign up today!

new to dwarf cichlids

A

ari_wh

Guest
Hi everyone... :)

I should introduce myself first, I guess.. My name is Ari.. and I am from Brisbane, Australia.... I have been keeping discus for almost a year now :D love it and addicted big time... but recently.. I can't resist the dwarf cichlids... especially rams and apistogramma. I have a few blue rams, and a pair of appistogramma cacatoides (sp!!).

I am just wondering, whether I can keep my dwarf cichlids with rainbow fish at all... I am keeping my dwarf in a 20 gal tank at the moment, and I really want to give them a bigger tank, but my 50gal has some tetra and rainbow fish in it.. so I am not too sure. :?

Thank you for your help :)

Regards, Ari
 

Randall

Active Member
5 Year Member
Messages
1,164
Location
New Jersey, USA
A. cacatuoides with Rainbow Fish

Dear Ari,

A. cacatuoides are not a traditional extra sensitive soft water Apistogramma species. They do quite well in moderately soft to moderately hard water with a pH of, say, 6.8-7.6 or so (just like tap water :)). It's fine to keep them with your Rainbow fish, only be careful to provide many dense plantings. When the Apisto's fry become free swimming, the Rainbow fish will eat them!

Good luck to you!

Randall Kohn
 

Neil

New Member
Messages
1,583
Location
Sacramento, Ca.
ari_wh,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

Yah, those rainbows can be sneaky-fast at picking off fry. They are a good tank-mate for the most part, as they occupy a different column of water. You just have to choose some of the softerwater ones, if you choose to work with some of the other apistos. Most apistos need more neutral or lower water than most rainbows, but cacatuoides should be fine. If you are already dealing with rams and discus, you shouldn't have a problem.
There has been a few discussions in the past about rainbows and Psuedomogil here. Try a search at the top of the page for others experience.
Neil
 
A

ari_wh

Guest
Thanks Randall and Neil :)

At the moment, I am not planning to breed the apistogramma.. I have a pair of cacatoides.. because they were sold as pairs.

My water is soft and neutral coming out of the tap... That is why I keep discus, I guess... I can't imagine having to play with my water too much... all I have to do is get rid of the chlorine and I am away.

The rainbows are wild caught, Australian natives.. so I am quite proud of them.... That is why I want to keep them :). And so far, they are quite happy with the soft and neutral water.

Well.. thank you again for the responses... so I guess... I can start shifting those fishie to their bigger home :D :D

Regards, Ari :)
 

Eva32181

New Member
5 Year Member
Messages
120
Location
Gainesville, FL
Don't worry - those cacatuoides will start breediing by themselves! Then you'll probably get addicted like me and start setting up ten gallon breeding tanks all over the house :D
 
A

ari_wh

Guest
Hi Eva :D

Too late, I am already addicted :) Although, I really don't think I get into breeding for now.. cause I got enough work maintaining my discus tanks and now dwarf cichlids tank...

I will get into setting up my rainbow fish tank this weekend and move my dwarf cichlids in there..... I have to get more drift wood though.. Wish me luck :)

Regards, Ari :)
 
A

ari_wh

Guest
Hi Jeff

Yes.. it is me... :D I love those little dwarf cichlids too... I have put them together with my wild caught rainbows... and they don't seem to mind... I give them sinking pellets and also some frozen food.. to make sure every fish got their share at feeding time.

No sign of spawning yet.. although my blue rams are pairing up. I probably have to give them their own tank, otherwise.. the rainbows will eat the babies for breakfast...lol. Just have to wait and see what happened. I put some little pots in the tank.. and wait very patiently... I love these little guys and having lots of fun too. :D :D

Regards, Ari
 

Desmondo

New Member
Messages
1
Hi all,

Hope you are good. Newbie here! :)

I added 13 Lake Kutubu / Turquoise rainbow fish in my tank last Friday and I found my Apis.Trifasciata male dead this evening when I came home from work. :(

not sure what was the cause of it :(:(:(
 

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
17,915
Messages
116,199
Members
13,027
Latest member
tonc61

Latest profile posts

Josh wrote on anewbie's profile.
Testing
EDO
Longtime fish enthusiast for over 70years......keen on Apistos now. How do I post videos?
Looking for some help with fighting electric blue rams :(
Partial updated Peruvian list have more than this. Please PM FOR ANY QUESTIONS so hard to post with all the ads poping up every 2 seconds….
Top