Considering an Apisto Set Up

[Satchel_Paige]

So I have an established 29 gallon community tank and I had originally purchased an Agassiz Dwarf Cichlid for it. Unfortunately, it did not get along with the rest of my fish and I had to return it. Now every time I'm in my local fish stores I see that fish and just wish I could have one. So that means it's time to set up another tank and could use some help for those with experience with cichlids. I was looking at a few different kinds of Apistos and was considering an Agassiz, Apistogramma borellii, Apistogramma hongsloi, Apistogramma cacatuoides with a tiger pleco and maybe some schooling fish? Would I be able to have all 4 types of apistos and some schooling fish? If I could how big of a tank would I need? I could probably swing a 55 gallon tank in the new place I'm moving into but if I could comfortably do something a bit smaller that would be preferred. I know to make it a medium to heavy planted tank with driftwood and rocks to hide in. I appreciate the tips ahead of time.

 

[michellev512]

My experience was that I could only have 1 type in a 75 gallon...

My macmasteri killed my emnopyge in 2 days... They weren't breeding either.


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[Gillie]

So I have an established 29 gallon community tank and I had originally purchased an Agassiz Dwarf Cichlid for it. Unfortunately, it did not get along with the rest of my fish and I had to return it. Now every time I'm in my local fish stores I see that fish and just wish I could have one. So that means it's time to set up another tank and could use some help for those with experience with cichlids. I was looking at a few different kinds of Apistos and was considering an Agassiz, Apistogramma borellii, Apistogramma hongsloi, Apistogramma cacatuoides with a tiger pleco and maybe some schooling fish? Would I be able to have all 4 types of apistos and some schooling fish? If I could how big of a tank would I need? I could probably swing a 55 gallon tank in the new place I'm moving into but if I could comfortably do something a bit smaller that would be preferred. I know to make it a medium to heavy planted tank with driftwood and rocks to hide in. I appreciate the tips ahead of time.

If you want to do 4 different species they would have to be all male and not in the 29. If you have to use the 29, 2 species max with the cacs and borellii being the most docile again all male or 1 of your chosen species with females to get better color and displays from the male. In a multi species tank I would leave out the hongsloi (unless you use a 55) they are in the macmasteri complex and are more robust and bullish than most other apistos. What is the rest of your stock? Apistos usually only have issues when there are other fish that try to take up residence in their territory.

My experience was that I could only have 1 type in a 75 gallon...

My macmasteri killed my emnopyge in 2 days... They weren't breeding either.


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Wait what? No more erymnopyge?
Even though macmasteri can be quite aggressive there shoud have been plenty of space for both in a 75.

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[michellev512]

If you want to do 4 different species they would have to be all male and not in the 29. If you have to use the 29, 2 species max with the cacs and borellii being the most docile again all male or 1 of your chosen species with females to get better color and displays from the male. In a multi species tank I would leave out the hongsloi (unless you use a 55) they are in the macmasteri complex and are more robust and bullish than most other apistos. What is the rest of your stock? Apistos usually only have issues when there are other fish that try to take up residence in their territory.






Wait what? No more erymnopyge?
Even though macmasteri can be quite aggressive there shoud have been plenty of space for both in a 75.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Unfortunately I had to tear down my apisto tank when my 75 gallon sprung a leak. My husband wasn't thrilled about me having to go buy a whole new set up...?. So I took the 3 eremnopyge back to LFS. It was my first eremnopyge male that died in my 75 before I made the 20 set up...

If my water wasn't so hard I would turn my 75 into an apisto playground but I have no RO system and hauling all those buckets for water changes seems impossible. One day....

Gillie besides the macmasteri is there any other hardy apisto that can tolerate harder water w ph over 7?



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[Gillie]

Unfortunately I had to tear down my apisto tank when my 75 gallon sprung a leak. My husband wasn't thrilled about me having to go buy a whole new set up...?. So I took the 3 eremnopyge back to LFS. It was my first eremnopyge male that died in my 75 before I made the 20 set up...

If my water wasn't so hard I would turn my 75 into an apisto playground but I have no RO system and hauling all those buckets for water changes seems impossible. One day....

Gillie besides the macmasteri is there any other hardy apisto that can tolerate harder water w ph over 7?



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Any apisto can handle a higher ph as long as you acclimate them correctly. The only time ph is really going to matter is with spawning, a higher ph can have several effects, smaller spawn, lower hatch rate and skewed sexes. But a few regularly obtainable species that are naturally from harder water are: cacatuoides, borellii and trifasciata.

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[michellev512]

Thank you...I may try some cacs


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[Satchel_Paige]

If you want to do 4 different species they would have to be all male and not in the 29. If you have to use the 29, 2 species max with the cacs and borellii being the most docile again all male or 1 of your chosen species with females to get better color and displays from the male. In a multi species tank I would leave out the hongsloi (unless you use a 55) they are in the macmasteri complex and are more robust and bullish than most other apistos. What is the rest of your stock? Apistos usually only have issues when there are other fish that try to take up residence in their territory.


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I have not set up the tank yet, just starting to plan it so I can make sure every one lives in peace. I talked to my lfs and they said they could probably only get the agassiz that they currently have and the cacatuoides so was thinking about one of each. As for the rest was considering a pleco or two, or some corys and some schooling fish such as a cherry barb or some larger tetra to fill in the upper levels. I am looking at going more heavily planted than originally thought so will probably use a flourite sand substrate. Is this something that is more reasonable than my previous thoughts? Thank you again for the help.