Suggestions for 5' x 18"D x 26"H

[BIG_CICHLID]

I am thinking of purchasing a tank with these dimensions. I would like very much to have a tank planted heavy in places also with a free swimming more open area. I have recently acquired a pair of Ap. agassizii double red (Czech Stock) and also would like to keep Cacatuoides or perhaps some others Apistos. I would also like to keep altispinosa and ramirezi (have a proven pair already) in there as well. How many pairs and of what species? Also suggest what you would do with this setup irrespective of the species I mentioned!

BC

 

[blueblue]

Hi BC, your tank's dimension looks quite interesting to me:
"it is very tall and very narrow in its base"... anyhow, it is NOT
a big tank, and if i were you, i would only keep 1 pair or two pairs of
apistos inside. Maybe a pair of aggie, plus some tetra neon fish will be
good. Cheers - blue

I am thinking of purchasing a tank with these dimensions. I would like very much to have a tank planted heavy in places also with a free swimming more open area. I have recently acquired a pair of Ap. agassizii double red (Czech Stock) and also would like to keep Cacatuoides or perhaps some others Apistos. I would also like to keep altispinosa and ramirezi (have a proven pair already) in there as well. How many pairs and of what species? Also suggest what you would do with this setup irrespective of the species I mentioned!

BC

 

[nightowl1350]

Ok....5 feet long is not a small tank. I'm not sure how many apisto pairs you could have in there but would think more than 1. I'm new to apistos, but in my 65g tank (not sure, but I think it's 4 feet long) I have 8 blue rams plus some angels....there is 1 pair for sure, but they haven't layed eggs in this tank yet.

 

[BIG_CICHLID]

Well, I have come across a lovely pair of Viejita II's and my pair of Agassizii's with a proven pair of ramirezi and some altispinosas. I'll have some Cardinals in there. Perhaps 40 or so. Was thinking of Angels or would they be a threat to the dwarfs?? Suggest other tankmates that might be suitable please! Will the 2 pairs of Apistos be OK and then to add the pair of ramirezi and altispinosa also be cool?? Your thoughts?

BC

 

[Z Man]

Yeah, at 120 gallons I wouldn't call this a small tank.

 

[BIG_CICHLID]

I dindn't say the tank was large or small. Just wanted your input for the selected fishes I intend to keep in there! I did however think the species I intended to keep would thrive in the setup I intend, that is, unless you tell me otherwise!

BC

 

[nightowl1350]

Big C....my comment was in response to blueblue who said it wasn't a big tank...think they read 5" not 5'. In a tank that size you could have more than a few pairs I would think.

Angels would be fine with dwarfs...I have 2 angels in a 30 with a pair of apistos. The swim in different areas of the tank, so they don't bother eachother. The only problem you may run into is keeping fry alive if you plan to breed. Angels will hunt out any small fry and eat them. I plan to move my apistos, but I got the angels and apisto at an auction so they are all in QT right now together

If they breed in your set up and you want to raise the fry, you could remove the remale and let her raise the brood in a 10g, or just take the eggs.

Sounds like a great tank....good luck with it.

 

[BIG_CICHLID]

Thanks Nightowl! I knew what you were saying! I didn't think you suggested the tank being small! But BlueBlue must of thought that was 5" as you say!

I would like to have the angels in there, but not sure if they wouldn't pick on the apistos. My Rams at home spawned the once but ate the eggs. I think they were threatened. The angel does chase them off occasionally here recently.

I'd like to breed them and possibly leave the fry to grow up with the other tankmates. However, will the apistos and rams eat each others fry? If so, I might as well get the angels as well and consider moving the fry(eggs), unless of course people find that the angels put the Apistos off. Any experiences?

BC

 

[Mike Wise]

I don't think that your angels or dwarf cichlids will get many fry. With 40 cardinals/red neons in the tank, they will pick off every fry that is produced. They are very efficient fry predators (have you ever seen the teeth on this fish?) when in shools of 6 or more. Eventually the angels might get large enough to even eat some of the tetras. Still it will be a good looking community tank - but don't expect any fry.

 

[BIG_CICHLID]

So, what tankmates would you suggest then if I wanted fry! I could always remove fry/eggs and leave a few to try their luck with their tankmates! Your thoughts?

BC

 

[Mike Wise]

I would suggest pencilfishes, hatchetfishes, & some of the pygmy & dwarf gouramies. These are suface dwellers for the most part. Some people have had success with smaller killies, too. It is always difficult to have one tank that is both a community & breeding tank.

 

[Mike Wise]

It is hard to have one tank be a community & breeding tank. The best fish to keep in breeding tanks with apistos are pencilfishes, hatchetfishes, dwarf & pygmy goruramies. Many people are successuf with smaller killies. If you want to keep your cardinals, etc., I guess the best chances of getting fry are to siphon out some of the fry when they appear.

 

[BIG_CICHLID]

Thanks for your help! Hatchets are no trouble! I'll have some of them as surface dwellers and some cardinals as well! Perhaps a single bristlenose plec or small plec of some description. Some Fancy L Number Loricardae perhaps. Now, teach me about pencilfishes!

BC

 

[mematrix]

Re to posts

Hi Big C Nice to see you here. Anything dwarf cichlid related this is the site to get the ansewers. I am also interested In pencils haven't found a very good selection here in the Dallas FT Worth area yet. Good Luck On Your Quest.

Sincerely Curtis

 

[BIG_CICHLID]

Hiya Mematrix! Trying to get those guys to have a revolution and give Apistos a go! Looks promising!

BC

PS, I gotta research pencilfish now!

 

[Mike Wise]

Pencilfishes are species of the genera Nannostomus, Copella, Pyrrhulina, & Copeina. They are not characins, but lebiasinids more closely related to the predatory Hoplias. As such, they are not a shooling fish & the males can be quite territorial. Therefore they do not need to be in schools to thrive & more females than males is a good idea (sort of like apistos!). Still, because of their size, they can be kept in large numbers without too many problems. They live in the same biotopes as many dwarf cichlids. I have even had them reproduce in apisto breeding tanks. They eat almost anything but, due to their small mouths, are very poor fry predators.

 

[nightowl1350]

Well Big C....I may be able to tell you if the angels will get the apisto swimmers of if Mom will keep them away from them.

I purchased 2 angels and a pair of apistos at an auction....put them all in Qt in my 30 high. Yesterday the apisto layed eggs. I am not sure, but I think some were eaten (may have been the BN that are in with them to) I will let you know if any survive the free swimmer stage. I know I will have to pull them, or move the pair to a breeding tank now for sure. If I get another tank set up I may move Mom and wigglers out.

 

[BIG_CICHLID]

Nightowl, firstly Congratulations on the spawn? What species? I have a 20 gallon with a single Angel and a pair of ramirezi that have 24 hour old eggs. They ate the last bunch just a mere 11 days ago and already have another batch. Nature is very quick! There are a few white eggs in with them all, but you can tell they're definetely fertilised. So, time will tell! If they start eating them, I'll take them away. It seems as if Apistos are a little different than the Central Americans I'm used to. If you removed eggs or fry from them, there would be some serious warfare between mom and dad. I've seen both sexes give it out to each other!

BC

 

[Greg PL]

... they are not a shooling fish & the males can be quite territorial.

I happened to lay my hands on a nice school of N. eques, they came as a bycatch with C. strigatta, together with some Copella naterreri*.
Those pencils are definitely a schooling species. not really exciting, as they seldom move, but they all stay close to each other with noses stuck to water surface. They look a little like a bunch of carefully arranged black golf clubs


*beautiful, but I lost all but one. they don't respond well to medical treatment I will look for them again.

 

[BIG_CICHLID]

Tank should be here today! Waiting on call from LFS

I have a huge piece of bogwood that may or may not fit in the new tank, may have to trim it up! I will get the substrate in and the plants and wood seated and full of water to settle in and warm up!

My stocking will be........................... 50 Cardinal Tetras, 5 Scalare Angels which look like Altums, pair of Agassizii Double Red, Pair of Ramirezi and a pair of Viejeta, possibly some hatchetfish too. Your thoughts?

BC