apisto aggi

[pantherspawn]

Anyone have any further input in suggested tankmates?

 

[mfdrookie516]

Sounds ok to me. FWIW, my apistos spawwned in my tank which has a pH of 7.8 (well, 7 with co2 going, but the water chemistry is the same). They're cacs, so they are more hardy breeders, but the agassizi's will probably breed too. With a 4' tank, I doubt you will have any issues with the two pairs.

 

[pantherspawn]

Sounds ok to me. FWIW, my apistos spawwned in my tank which has a pH of 7.8 (well, 7 with co2 going, but the water chemistry is the same). They're cacs, so they are more hardy breeders, but the agassizi's will probably breed too. With a 4' tank, I doubt you will have any issues with the two pairs.

I was looking at the cacs as well.. really like the double red.. Now I can't make up my mind as to what sub species. The coloring in most of them are amazing.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I have triple reds. If you click my signature image, it takes you to my youtube channel which has a few vids of my male. He's absolutely gorgeous.

 

[pantherspawn]

One of the downsides I've noticed to buying the fish online is being able to pick the sex of the fish you want.. I've wanted to order but in alot of cases I'm concerned about getting the ratio right with male to female in some species.. any advice? (Your comment about the male coloration remind red me) what are the chances in ordering and getting 2 females which lack the color quality

 

[mfdrookie516]

Get a pair. Especially if you order from somebody like I did (severum mama and HN1), they'll make sure you get what you want. Most places on aquabid will sell you a real pair. With fish like apistos, males and females look nothing alike. Now rams, that's a bit of a different story. IMO, it's best to get a proven mated pair if you're only going to get 2. They are usually a bit more because they've been proven to breed, but you're guaranteed a male and a female... and babies if you take care of them.

 

[pantherspawn]

Get a pair. Especially if you order from somebody like I did (severum mama and HN1), they'll make sure you get what you want. Most places on aquabid will sell you a real pair. With fish like apistos, males and females look nothing alike. Now rams, that's a bit of a different story. IMO, it's best to get a proven mated pair if you're only going to get 2. They are usually a bit more because they've been proven to breed, but you're guaranteed a male and a female... and babies if you take care of them.

The price isn't really an issue.. the health of the fish is however. I was looking at aquabid last night.. had a lot of great fish on there.. only downside is being wild caught.. is that going to be an issue when it comes to Ph level? I've heard that wild caught fish don't acclimate to different levels very well? Which brings up another question.. if and when I do order.. how do I acclimate a fish to the Ph difference without causing shock? Just add my tank water slowly to a container like the temp adjustment?

 

[mfdrookie516]

My apistos came from tanks with a low pH, I think sm told me their water is in the low 6's. Mine is 7.8 from the tap. I dripped them for an hour or so. Fish are much tougher than most people give them credit for.

 

[pantherspawn]

Awesome.. how mature does the tank need to be before adding them? I know blue rams are pretty sensitive.. what about the apistos and Bolivians? Does my water need to be mature? Still doing the silent cycle with no signs of any ammo or nitrite.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I would give it a month or so. Apistos don't seem to be as fragile as rams, but I'd still wait and let the tank mature a bit. Nothing wrong with a silent cycle, I don't even cycle anymore... Just plop a filter on and go (amazing how good that works btw).

 

[pantherspawn]

I would give it a month or so. Apistos don't seem to be as fragile as rams, but I'd still wait and let the tank mature a bit. Nothing wrong with a silent cycle, I don't even cycle anymore... Just plop a filter on and go (amazing how good that works btw).

Yeah I agree.. I've done fish in, fishless and now silent.. silent is by far the best way IMO. It's healthy, looks good and gives you something to do besides test water. And you can have fish in without them suffering.. its a bit more expensive to start.. but once you get it going.. you should never have to buy any more stem plants ever again to get more tanks going.

 

[pantherspawn]

One last question.. when it comes to the dwarf cichlids.. should i try to buy both pairs at the same time so they can find their territories together. Or should I let one pair get established first then add the other pair.. want to minimize aggression.

 

[mfdrookie516]

I don't think it'll be a problem either way.. but if you add them at the same time, that doesn't give either pair an advantage over the other.

 

[pantherspawn]

I don't think it'll be a problem either way.. but if you add them at the same time, that doesn't give either pair an advantage over the other.

That's what I was thinking.

 

[pantherspawn]

Went to 6 different lfs today just to browse .. not a single apisto. Only one store had blue rams and a single krib. Wow might be harder than I thought to get what I want..

 

[Homedog98]

Went to 6 different lfs today just to browse .. not a single apisto. Only one store had blue rams and a single krib. Wow might be harder than I thought to get what I want..

Order online!