Hi everyone!
After a few years of a hiatus, I finally have time to get back to keeping fish.
Apistogrammas were one of my first fish obsessions, but unfortunately could not keep them (because I had no access to enough soft water. There were/are a couple of springs of very soft water near my house, but they dried out in the summers, so... I do not know how it supported a decent sized town worth of discuss keepers/breeders in the 60/70s, when it was the only source of soft water (according to local fishkeeping myths)).
The species that beguilled me the most is Apistogramma diplotaenia (a choice that earned me the title of drab little fish liker from my uncle
), an enchantment that obviously still has not ended more than 15 years later.
I am a aware that this is probably not the easiest species to keep, which is why I am running my ideas and plans by more experienced people (and am not nearly close to ordering the fish).
So the planned setup:
112 l (29 gal) fish tank (80x35cm (31.5x14.7 in) bottom)
white quartz sand bottom
outside filter i Think 8l and 300l/h (flow will be reduced)
"decor":
plenty of wood/branches (the branchy wood I arranged so it sits on the tips, so most of the ground is still free)
oak and chestnut leaves and alder cones
probably some plants, we'll se what survives the dim light and blackwater (hopefully at least something floating and some moss)
water parameters:
This is where my first question arises; I generally read the recommendation as follows:
TDS, GH and KH as low as possible,
pH less than 5.5
That to me reads to use just plain RO water and alder cones, without adding any minerals to it. Am I understanding this correctly or am I missing some piece of the puzzle?
That water quality must remain excellent and water parametres stable are a given, the plan is to execute a 20-25% water change in a lightly stocked fish tank.
If not absolutely necessary, I do not think I will use peat, It has never been clear to me when the peat in the filtre has run its course, and I prefer alder cones, which I can count and switch out every water change. I had some success in significant pH reduction and some KH and GH reduction in very hard water just with alder cones and leaves. I plan on testing how alder cones do in reducing and stabilising the pH before getting the fish and learn to use good ol' peat if it does not work out
Stocking:
currently the tank holds an unkown nuber (upward od 100) of malawa shrimp. They will remain in the tank, but I doubt they will cohabitate with the fish for long (in case they manage to reproduce fast enough, they are supposed to be able to live well under blackwater conditions).
I plan on having either one of the Nannostomuses, smaller Copellas (e. g. nattereri) or Axelrodias as dither fish. From what I read on this forum and Apisto sites, these work well and do not eat the fry (too much). I am toying with the idea of Copellas AND Nannostomuses, but its probably the best to just stick with one right?
For the Apistogrammas:
I am sure the tank is at least big enough for a pair of Apistogramma diplotaenia, the question I have is would it be big enough for two pairs or a small group? In Römers book he reports finding them in very dense colonies, and these are supposed to be on the smaller side, so I thought it might work; but I would like to hear experience of someone who has kept them; how are they with agression and territory size? Is keeping more then a pair in aquarium of this size advisable?
I have a vague idea this should work from what I have read and understand, but I would ask to point out any flaws in my plan, or if you think it is a bad idea to start with A. diplotaenia (if yes, why, and which species of South American blackwater dwarf chicklid would you recommend)?
After a few years of a hiatus, I finally have time to get back to keeping fish.
Apistogrammas were one of my first fish obsessions, but unfortunately could not keep them (because I had no access to enough soft water. There were/are a couple of springs of very soft water near my house, but they dried out in the summers, so... I do not know how it supported a decent sized town worth of discuss keepers/breeders in the 60/70s, when it was the only source of soft water (according to local fishkeeping myths)).
The species that beguilled me the most is Apistogramma diplotaenia (a choice that earned me the title of drab little fish liker from my uncle
), an enchantment that obviously still has not ended more than 15 years later.I am a aware that this is probably not the easiest species to keep, which is why I am running my ideas and plans by more experienced people (and am not nearly close to ordering the fish).
So the planned setup:
112 l (29 gal) fish tank (80x35cm (31.5x14.7 in) bottom)
white quartz sand bottom
outside filter i Think 8l and 300l/h (flow will be reduced)
"decor":
plenty of wood/branches (the branchy wood I arranged so it sits on the tips, so most of the ground is still free)
oak and chestnut leaves and alder cones
probably some plants, we'll se what survives the dim light and blackwater (hopefully at least something floating and some moss)
water parameters:
This is where my first question arises; I generally read the recommendation as follows:
TDS, GH and KH as low as possible,
pH less than 5.5
That to me reads to use just plain RO water and alder cones, without adding any minerals to it. Am I understanding this correctly or am I missing some piece of the puzzle?
That water quality must remain excellent and water parametres stable are a given, the plan is to execute a 20-25% water change in a lightly stocked fish tank.
If not absolutely necessary, I do not think I will use peat, It has never been clear to me when the peat in the filtre has run its course, and I prefer alder cones, which I can count and switch out every water change. I had some success in significant pH reduction and some KH and GH reduction in very hard water just with alder cones and leaves. I plan on testing how alder cones do in reducing and stabilising the pH before getting the fish and learn to use good ol' peat if it does not work out
Stocking:
currently the tank holds an unkown nuber (upward od 100) of malawa shrimp. They will remain in the tank, but I doubt they will cohabitate with the fish for long (in case they manage to reproduce fast enough, they are supposed to be able to live well under blackwater conditions).
I plan on having either one of the Nannostomuses, smaller Copellas (e. g. nattereri) or Axelrodias as dither fish. From what I read on this forum and Apisto sites, these work well and do not eat the fry (too much). I am toying with the idea of Copellas AND Nannostomuses, but its probably the best to just stick with one right?
For the Apistogrammas:
I am sure the tank is at least big enough for a pair of Apistogramma diplotaenia, the question I have is would it be big enough for two pairs or a small group? In Römers book he reports finding them in very dense colonies, and these are supposed to be on the smaller side, so I thought it might work; but I would like to hear experience of someone who has kept them; how are they with agression and territory size? Is keeping more then a pair in aquarium of this size advisable?
I have a vague idea this should work from what I have read and understand, but I would ask to point out any flaws in my plan, or if you think it is a bad idea to start with A. diplotaenia (if yes, why, and which species of South American blackwater dwarf chicklid would you recommend)?
