Questions on Apistogramma Panduro

[richardhmc]

Hey all! So I bought a pair of Panduros and placed in a 20 gallon tank filled with a huge amount of java moss, a small decor log, and a bubble filter.
PH is 6, temp is 76.

I looked up pictures of these fish and they are supposed to be blue and yellow. However, mine just have the red lining on the fins and the black spots but no color on their bodies. Both of them are a little bit over 1 1/2 in. Do they still have alot to grow?

Also, are there any extra essentials required for them? Such as sand, rocks, wood? Right now it is bare bottom.

Thanks!

 

[Mike Wise]

Welcome to the apisto forum, Richard. Male A. panduro can get almost 2X as large as your fish. I think that you need to let them grow up a little more and let them get used to their new surroundings before they will color up. Like most apistos, they like to sift through sand for bits of food, so a shallow layer of sand is helpful, but not absolutely necessary. A. panduro is a nijsseni-complex species and like other species in the complex tend to be more choosy about mates. If they really like each other, then they get along (and breed) very easily. If they don't especially care for each other, then they might either ignore each other or one might even attack or kill the other (rare, but possible depending on the size and lay-out of their tank). Just feed them well and keep the water on the moderately soft/acid side and see what happens.

 

[richardhmc]

Thanks for the welcome! How long does it take for them to fully mature? Are they slow growers?

 

[Mike Wise]

Give them 3 - 4 months. By then they should start coloring up if they are happy.