Apistogramma Advice

[rummynose]

I have a soon to be empty 29 gallon I've been pondering what to put in it.  I'm kinda leaning towards some species of Apistogramma even though I've never seen them in my lfs.  Mainly because of their size and they look pretty cool on the net. I have other S.A. Cichlids (rams and angelfish) and are wandering if they are in the same line as far as care/breeding.  I've just started researching as was looking for any helpful links or yas and nays.

It's going to be a pretty heavily planted tank and I would like to get a pair to breed.

Any help or suggestions would be very appreciated.  

 

[koolkatzfish]

www.apistogramma.com they have a board and everything.
 I plan on getting a pair for my 44 gallon and pretty same water requirements as the rams.  I finally found a fish store that stocks them and has several species!!  Now as soon as my baby bristlenoses are ready, I will see if a trade can be arranged!!
Good luck.

 

[wayne]

You'll find apistos much easier to breed and raise than rams.  My own favourites are my pair of cacatuoides - easy to breed in water up to pH 7.5 but low hardness.  Aggassizi are nice and easy too.
If you try the more obscure species, they're a bit harder to breed, especially if they're wild caught. Wild caught fishes can also be a lot more aggressive than tank bred (ie my killer panduro)
 Apistos seem to have retained more parenting skills than rams, presumably as they're not so bulk bred, and people tend to leave them with the young for longer, and they're much less inbred than most rams and angels too.  I like to keep the parents with the young as long as possible (months in my 55 gallon) rather than go for huge raise rates.
Look at the krib.com for detailed advice, then go get some of these great fishes.

 

[rummynose]

Thanks for the reply's.  I'm definitly hooked on them.  Now if I could only find them in my lfs's.  I think Aggassizi's or Borrelli's are the way I'd like to go.

 

[keprydak]

I keep cacatuoides myself, and I love them. Apistos are great little fish, but you have to be careful because they don't always go by the book. I've got the triple red cactuoides (http://www27.brinkster.com/keprydak for photos) and they are wonderful. I want to get a 20L to house them so maybe I can get a spawn. Charming, absolutely.

Although you may be able to get your hands on some aggasizi or borielii (pardon my spelling) a bit easier, another wonderful species is the trifasciata. They are a more challenging to spawn species, but good in their own right. If I get another pair, they would be of those. They have the same spiked crest as the cactuoides, but come in a brilliant blueish color.

Also, if you havent already, check out the krib (http://www.thekrib.com). The best info is there.