Agassiz's Dwarf Cichlid?

[Lisa]

Awesome website!

I currently have guppies cycling my small, 10g tank to use as a peaceful community aquarium. I'd like to eventually add Blue Rams and am interested in the Agassiz's Dwarf from literature and pictures I've come across. Is anyone familiar with them? I used to have a larger tank with cichlids. I was NOT well-educated with the species and it was a killing zone! Lesson definitely learned!

[scott]

They are harem spawners and should have at least two females per male. If there is only one female she is likely to be beaten and killed if she is "not in the mood". They require typical SA cichlid water parameters of approximately 6.8-7.2 pH with a KH of around three degrees. I would recommend keeping only a pair of rams or a trio of apistos in a ten or a male of each. Either choice would compliment a planted tank with driftwood very well. If you go the two male route make sure you have plenty breaking up their line of sight. You might even be able to get away with a small school of neons or danios or such for the top as the cichlids will claim the bottom for their territory and not wander into the top half of the tank to much.

[nolemite]

Check out the species info on this web site. Also, check out www.thekrib.com for lots of info on Apistos and other dwarf cichlids.