Stocking a 75 gallon

[BigDaddy]

I am setting up a new 75 gallon community tank and want some opinions.

This will be a South American black water tank. My tap water is soft (between 1 and 2 KH, GH is low as well) and almost acidic (7.0 out of the tap). The tank will be heavily planted with CO2 injection. With the CO2, I'm sure my pH will run around 6.4 - 6.6 just like it does in my 25 gallon.

Current stock that will be going into this tank are two pairs of Mikrogeophagus ramirezi, two pairs of Cleithracara maronii, a pair of Apistogramma panduro, as well as some tetras for target/dither purposes. SAEs and otos (although not part of the biotype) will be going in for cleanup duty.

My question is, how many more apistos can I put in this tank? Is it safe to assume a tank of this size and heavily planted could house, say 3 males of different species with 1 or 2 females for each?

I'd like to have the panduros, as well as agassizii/cacatuoides/borellii. Given the species "wish list", what would you say is a good stocking recommendation?

 

[BigDaddy]

Anyone? Anyone?

 

[cd]

group order

i have a import /export permit and can pick up orders a US airport customs.i have a broker that i deal with that does not charge alot..definitly intrested ..keep me informed

 

[BigDaddy]

Re: group order

i have a import /export permit and can pick up orders a US airport customs.i have a broker that i deal with that does not charge alot..definitly intrested ..keep me informed

Huh?

 

[fishgeek]

very basic starting point 2square feet footprint for male's territory and 1 square for females
as no one else has yet given a more accurate answer

it is a bit individual from fish and secies though i think this is a good rule of thumb
as apisto's are bottom dwellers area seems more important than volume

i'm not familiar with gallon size's to know your tanks surface area
andrew

oh i think the same groups or families of apisto are supposed to show more interspecies aggresion
and that panduro are often labelled as more aggresive fish

 

[BigDaddy]

My tank is 48 x 18. So I'm looking at 6 square feet of tank bottom.

So, how do people keep a pair of apistos in a 2 ft tank when there is only 2 square feet of foot print, and according to above, you need 3 square feet

 

[fishgeek]

sorry i was not clear enough the females will take smaller territories within the males territory

hence the trio's fit in a 2 ft

is that as clear as mud now?

andrew

sounds like your 3 males will fit other have more experience and will give more informed opinions

 

[cootwarm]

Here is a link to a thread that discusses colonies of just 1 species:
http://forum.apistogramma.com/viewtopic.php?t=2225
I've had good luck with 3 pair of viejita in a 30 gal long (36"x12"). There were adults, juvies and small fry all living together. But there was also a soccerball size clump of Java Moss in the center, as well as a couple piles of oak leaves, 3 coconut shell caves (covered with Java Moss), Amazon Sword Plant, and a large piece of driftwood.

I'm not sure why, but I've read many posts where mixing species of apistos together was discouraged as NOT being a good idea. Maybe someone else can explain why that is? I don't recall any posts of anyone actually keeping pairs of multiple species of apisto together. There might be a post or 2 of someone keeping 2 species of apistos together. Perhaps maybe a borellii and another calm, peaceful species. I've read where some species are peaceful with other species, but tear into their own.

However ther are many posts where people keep rams with apistos.

I know this doesn't exactly answer your question, but perhaps it will be of some help.

Michael