3 replies to this topic

[EvilPasta]

Hi hi,

I was just wondering how many species of Apistogramma
are floating round in Perth. I'm thinking of setting up a
planted display tank and wouldn't mind giving them a shot.
I've had a bit of experience with African cichlids and a few
central American ones, so this seems like a logical step to
broaden the horizons a bit... Is there anything to look out
for when looking for SA dwarfs? And what would be one
of the more interesting ones to try breeding?

Any help would be hugely appreciated.

Thanks,

Tim

Edited by: EvilPasta at: 11/20/03 11:50 am

[Adam Maskew]

EP,

I thought you would have got a response to your questions by now. I'm a little out of whats around Perth at the moment but there will be the typical stand bys of A. cacautoides, A. agassazi, and a number of others. There a legal import and it always surprises me that we don't get some more of the truely stunning apistos in. But then again you have to have the ground swell to get someone to import them in large numbers or be willing to pay high prices.

If your just getting into the Apistos it may pay to get a relatively robust one such as A. cacautoides. Its been breed in captivity so much now that it will handle and breed in all but the most alkaline environments. There are a number of varities floating around, normal, red, double red etc. It is probably most important to find some good stock though. There are a lot of deformed individuals floating around, so take your time and find some nice stock, body shape, mouth, fins, colouration. You may even be able to pick some stock up by placing an add in the classifieds of this forum.

If your interested in breeding I usually stock a trio or quartet, 2-3 females with 1 male in a 2-3ft tank. I then make a lot of caves, either using rock or small terracotta pots 100-150mm with a small chip in the lip placed upside down. I usually put 6-8 in a tank. Put a heap of java moss in and away you go. Again, practise breeding something like A. cac before moving onto some of the more demanding species. A. aggassazi are fairly easy as well. I breed both in my tap water, pH 7.5, moderate hardness.

If your going for a more natuarl look, leaf litter (oak leaves), rock and bog wood and heaps of plants on a sand base. Its a truely beautiful sight seeing a female guide a group of young around. You can stock a male and several females of a couple of species in the one tank, as well as bristlenoses. Stay away from corys as they will predate the eggs and young. The mother will defend the clutch and young as best she can from the tetras etc. But you will still lose most of them. Feed the young microworms, bbs and crushed flake.

I know Aquotix try to hold some good apistos, I sold my last lot to them.

Hope that helps.

Adam

[wysiwyg]

As mentioned above, Aquotix has 4 or 5 sp. at the moment and afew of these are breeding size.

wysiwyg

[EvilPasta]

Thanks a lot for the info, tis most helpful