Apistogramma suggestions?

[newbie_dave]

I was looking earlier and I'm sure you can get what look like tea bags that you put in your tank and it leeches tanning into your water

 

[Brookster123]

I was looking earlier and I'm sure you can get what look like tea bags that you put in your tank and it leeches tanning into your water

interesting.. Could you just use a certain type if tea? Black tea perhaps? British fish?!?

 

[newbie_dave]

This is them

 

[newbie_dave]

Would you add milk if its 2 strong and maybe 2 sugars? Lol!

 

[Venom_]

That's awesome! I will look for those at my fish store.

How did you get your tank to have the subdued lighting like that? Is the water darker from the leaf litter? I just ordered a piece of driftwood that's supposed to release tannins to make the water a little darker and more acidic like Amazonian water.

I just use a single t8 light bulb the almond leaves leaked all of the tannins in the water, my driftwood didn't because it was pre soaked. I also run some sphagnum peat Moss in my filter to lower the ph and add more tannins.

 

[newbie_dave]

How oftern do you take them out and put new ones in?

 

[Venom_]

How oftern do you take them out and put new ones in?

The leaves ?

 

[newbie_dave]

Yeah sorry

 

[Venom_]

Yeah sorry

You only change them when they fall apart.

 

[HN1]

Thanks everyone! The whole cichlid world is very new to me, so I appreciate the input! I'm guessing it will probably be a good month at least before I get them (need to cycle the tank and get other things established first) but I'll post an update later!

Thanks for the cardinal suggestion... I will probably go with those instead of neons, depending on what my lfs has.

Plans right now are to cycle the tank, introduce the cory cats, then the schooling fish (cardinals?), and then the apistos. Any other suggestions are welcome!

I'd recommend adding the cories last. They will be your most "sensitive" fish until established.

 

[lizzztee]

So, I went to the pet store at the top of my street (not buying anything yet; waiting for the tank to cycle) and they had some beautiful yellow cockatoo dwarf cichlids for $8. Is that a decent price? One thing though- the guy said they were African, and that they only carry African cichlids. That doesn't sound right, right? They also had a jack dempsey in there who was in awful condition, and I know dempseys are not African... I wonder if the poor dude was in water designed for Africans for too long. It made me sad.

I was really disappointed in that store- they have a reputation for being a good local, knowledgeable store, but today didn't show that at all. When it comes time to buy the fish, I'll probably still go there assuming they are in good condition though. Sadly, they are the only store around here besides a major chain store (and that major chain does not take care of their fish).

Anyway, thanks for the suggestion on adding the cories last- I will do that. I've also decided to go with head and tail light tetras instead of cardinals or neons. My husband fell in love with them at the store, they seem to be a little hardier and they are native to the blackwater amazon I am going for.

Thanks everyone for all your input! I will update again once my tank really gets going!

 

[Iamtechno13]

Apistogramma are definitely from South America. Africa has their own dwarf cichlid in the Pelvicachromis family. $8 for an Apisto seems like a pretty good price but I'd be sure that thats what you're actually buying. I have taken pictures at the store to go home and look it up just to be sure. They aren't always right, sometimes they're mislabeled. Who knows?

 

[lizzztee]

Apistogramma are definitely from South America. Africa has their own dwarf cichlid in the Pelvicachromis family. $8 for an Apisto seems like a pretty good price but I'd be sure that thats what you're actually buying. I have taken pictures at the store to go home and look it up just to be sure. They aren't always right, sometimes they're mislabeled. Who knows?

Thanks! And good idea! I will definitely do that before I buy just to be sure.