Newbie

[anewbie]

I live in Europe. My sources won't ship to you.

I don't know if they are all available in English. In German I like Uwe Römer's Cichlid Atlas, which I know should be available in English as well, but otherwise I think some people here have better recommendations.

Vaguely I think i read that a new edition of Uwe Rmer's book was being worked on and it would be published in english but i saw this at least a year ago so i don't know if my memory is correct and if so when it will happen.

 

[Mike Wise]

Probably the reason that CA1 in English is so expensive is that >1500 copies were lost in a warehouse fire about 10 years ago. Since only 1 printing of each edition is produced there is a high demand for English editions world wide. Even when it came out in 2000 it cost $75.00. A good used copy of Link & Staeck "Dwarf Cichlids" will have the knowledge one needs to keep and breed apistos. My personal favorite book is Koslowski's 2002 book Die Buntbarsche Amerikas: Apistogramma & Co. Has a wealth of information on behavior and biotope data from collector.

 

[Mike Wise]

My only problem with A. trifasciata is that males are very aggressive for their size. Otherwise they are very adaptable to water values.

 

[anewbie]

My personal favorite book is Koslowski's 2002 book Die Buntbarsche Amerikas: Apistogramma & Co. Has a wealth of information on behavior and biotope data from collector.

I can't find any pointers to this book; is it even sold these days ? Also was it in english or german ?

 

[Ben Rhau]

I found a used copy. You can get the translation from Mike if you can prove you own the German copy.

 

[MacZ]

I can't find any pointers to this book; is it even sold these days ? Also was it in english or german ?

It's out of print and as far as I remember it was only published in German.

I'm bit angry with my father as I know he had it in his library but sold almost all aquarium books a few years before his death. I was only able to salvage about a dozen books, not all in good condition and many about Rift Lake cichlids, not dwarfs.

Edit:
I would love to find a copy I can afford. Luckily the university library has one as I just found out... I think I know where I'm going to go to first thing in January.

 

[Don cheech]

So I am Really trying to get this right since I’m kinda a step up from a beginner and I already had two pistos die on me when I put them into a 75 Community tank. Now I am setting up a 20 gallon dedicated to Pisto borelli lots of caves and plants and driftwood. I had asked this question here already as to how many and what sexes to put into the 20, Keep in mind I am not trying to breed. I got responses of either one male or three males, then I do some online searching and I came up with two sites saying one male and two females. What the heck, what do you think will work the best overal.
Thanks for your time.

 

[MacZ]

It's at your discretion now. All three options are on the table.

Although the recommendation with 1m/2f is obviously ignoring the possibility of breeding activity that might even be successful. Such recommendations you find on websites that either see breeding as a typical goal of a fishkeeper or that have interest in selling you something, maybe the fish themselves.
1 male is obviously the easiest and guaranteed working option.
3 males (only of A. borellii! No other species) are possible in that tank size. The possibility is there but it's unlikely to go wrong.

 

[Mike Wise]

... then I do some online searching and I came up with two sites saying one male and two females. What the heck, what do you think will work the best overal.
Thanks for your time.

This reminds me of a smart phone: Jack of all trades, master of none. Are the 2 sites that you mention dwarf cichlid oriented? The one thing I see missing in your efforts is one that most people miss - a quarantine tank.

 

[Don cheech]

It's at your discretion now. All three options are on the table.

Although the recommendation with 1m/2f is obviously ignoring the possibility of breeding activity that might even be successful. Such recommendations you find on websites that either see breeding as a typical goal of a fishkeeper or that have interest in selling you something, maybe the fish themselves.
1 male is obviously the easiest and guaranteed working option.
3 males (only of A. borellii! No other species) are possible in that tank size. The possibility is there but it's unlikely to go wrong.

 

[Don cheech]

Hey everyone looking to get some Apisto Borelli in a 20 gallon long NOT looking to breed. I’ve had suggestions of 1 male or 3 males now someone reputable mentioned adding a dither fish like white clouds or runny nose. What is your best opinion on this and what would be your recommendations.
Thanks

 

[MacZ]

Please use the existing threads and don't make a new one each time.

 

[Don cheech]

Please use the existing threads and don't make a new one each time.

sorry kinda new at this not too phone and tech savvy

 

[Don cheech]

It's at your discretion now. All three options are on the table.

Although the recommendation with 1m/2f is obviously ignoring the possibility of breeding activity that might even be successful. Such recommendations you find on websites that either see breeding as a typical goal of a fishkeeper or that have interest in selling you something, maybe the fish themselves.
1 male is obviously the easiest and guaranteed working option.
3 males (only of A. borellii! No other species) are possible in that tank size. The possibility is there but it's unlikely to go wrong.

Hey so what do you think about adding some dither fish to the set up

 

[MacZ]

That's what I thought and why I said so.

 

[Don cheech]

This reminds me of a smart phone: Jack of all trades, master of none. Are the 2 sites that you mention dwarf cichlid oriented? The one thing I see missing in your efforts is one that most people miss - a quarantine tank.

Got it and ready

 

[Don cheech]

That's what I thought and why I said so.

So while I have your ear what do you think of adding some dither fish

 

[anewbie]

Hey everyone looking to get some Apisto Borelli in a 20 gallon long NOT looking to breed. I’ve had suggestions of 1 male or 3 males now someone reputable mentioned adding a dither fish like white clouds or runny nose. What is your best opinion on this and what would be your recommendations.
Thanks

white cloud are a cold water fish though borelli can tolerate a bit lower than most of the common apistogramma species. runny need a 48 inch tank for their movement. In a 20 long i'd recommend kubotai if you want a fast moving fish (schooling) or something like ember tetra/green neon if you want something to just sort of sit around all day. kubotai rasbora have an advantage over the mentioned tetra because they will stay quite close to the top. Btw the purpose of dither is more important if you are breeding as it gives the male something to do while the female is nursing her frys.
--
Having said all this a 20 with 3 male borelli has plenty of room for other fishes....

 

[Don cheech]

white cloud are a cold water fish though borelli can tolerate a bit lower than most of the common apistogramma species. runny need a 48 inch tank for their movement. In a 20 long i'd recommend kubotai if you want a fast moving fish (schooling) or something like ember tetra/green neon if you want something to just sort of sit around all day. kubotai rasbora have an advantage over the mentioned tetra because they will stay quite close to the top. Btw the purpose of dither is more important if you are breeding as it gives the male something to do while the female is nursing her frys.
--
Having said all this a 20 with 3 male borelli has plenty of room for other fishes....

I would rather just have the borelli’s so if not breeding no need for dither fish

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,

....... My kh is 1-2 and gh is 12 in my 75 only issue is the ph comes out at 7.8 but I am hoping with the tannins to bring that down.

So... if diluted a bit more maybe not the worst water, although I find the KH unusually low for the GH and pH. @dw1305 Darrel, you're better when it comes to chemistry. Any ideas?

I'd agree with @MacZ , something looks a bit strange with the dGH / dKH. If your hardness is derived from limestone (CaCO3), <"or dolomite"> (Ca/MgCO3), you get 1 : 1 dGH : dKH.

The pH7.8 is the pH value you get when you have more than ~4dKH, this is due to the <"carbonate ~ CO2 ~ pH equilibrium">, which is set by the <"atmospheric CO2 level">.

The cut off point seems to be somewhere around 120 tds; the lower the better.

Do you @Don cheech have a TDS (conductivity) meter? or can you get figures from your water supplier? I like conductivity as a measurement, it is a linear scale and easy to measure.

cheers Darrel