new to dwarfs

[dan]

i've been keeping CA cichlids for 30 years and have just gotten the "dwarf" bug. i'd like not to mess with my water chemistry and thus my questions are this:

can i keep the west african dwarfs in my 'tap' water .. pH 7.4, KH and GH 5-7 BUT my home is set up with a dedicated sodium exchange water softener. this means that while my water "hardness" is low with respect to the "laundry" cations (Ca, Mg) it has some sodium in it though i've not tested my TDS.

where can i buy these fish on-line. i live in a rural area of north carolina and nobody within 4 hours carries these species. i normally deal with "Tangled Up in Cichlids" for my central and south american cichlids and would like to locate similar for west african dwarfs.

thanks y'all dan

 

[cootwarm]

Hi Dan,

You could try AquaBid. Sometimes you get lucky and get a real good deal. I have the same problem up here in Vermont. So I got my Apistogrammas on line (mostly AquaBid). I got some excellent, healthy fish from ApistoDave.

Here is a shortcut link to AquaBids index page: http://www.aquabid.com/

Look down the Live Fish Freshwater list and you'll see 4 or 5 different cichlid categories. I bought other fish that I could include in that same shipping rate, so the shipping cost wasn't too bad. Also on AquaBid, you can view a sellers reputation by reading feedback from previous customers.

Michael

 

[Neil]

dan,

WELCOME TO THE FORUM

Your water sounds Ok for housing, but many species will require softer, more acidic water for breeding. This is where TDS will play a more critical role. In regards to your choices, I think that you should determine the species that really interest you and then work on getting them. Many species of Apistogramma are available through many different sources. Some are better than others, but a little research is well worth the effort.
Good luck,
Neil

 

[tjudy]

Sorry.. I posted here when I thought I was starting a new thread..