suggestions
- Thread starter ddayton21
- Start date
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A pair of fish from the apistogramma genus: Care must be taken to provide plenty of hidy holes as males are aggressive toward females for the first few days. You also have to be prepared to pull out the male if they spawn as the female will often kill the male in a small tank in an attempt to protect the fry (this happens very quickly and the male should be removed BEFORE the fry go free swiming). He could be temporarily housed in your 20g. A few pencil fish and otos can be added for algea control and as "dither/target" fish.
A pair of small Juliochromis (J. ornatus or J. transcriptus): Tank should have abundant limestone based rockwork, and care should be taken to maintain a high ph (accomplished be using aragonite/crushed coral as a substrate or including some of this material in the filter). Additional addatives to the replacement water can be used, but I find that smaller (20%) more regular water changes eliminate the need for these depending on chem of your tap water. A rubber pleco can be added for algea control and should be able to adapt to the high ph and hardness.
A pair/colony of Tanganyikan shell dwellers: Same water chem concerns as above, but more open space and lots of empty apple snail shells.
The only one of these setups I have not personally tried is the julies, but based on my reading they should work well.
Other possibilities include Laetacara cuviceps, Dicrossus filimentosus, and Keyhole cichlids. Keyholes get bigger (4in), but seem to be pretty sedate swimmers (more like apistos than the more hyper rams) and a single individual should make a good centerpiece fish in a 10g. A single ram could also be kept as a centerpiece. Lots of stucture on the borrom should make up for the fact that a 10g is a little on the small side for these active swimmers.
Good Luck
A pair of small Juliochromis (J. ornatus or J. transcriptus): Tank should have abundant limestone based rockwork, and care should be taken to maintain a high ph (accomplished be using aragonite/crushed coral as a substrate or including some of this material in the filter). Additional addatives to the replacement water can be used, but I find that smaller (20%) more regular water changes eliminate the need for these depending on chem of your tap water. A rubber pleco can be added for algea control and should be able to adapt to the high ph and hardness.
A pair/colony of Tanganyikan shell dwellers: Same water chem concerns as above, but more open space and lots of empty apple snail shells.
The only one of these setups I have not personally tried is the julies, but based on my reading they should work well.
Other possibilities include Laetacara cuviceps, Dicrossus filimentosus, and Keyhole cichlids. Keyholes get bigger (4in), but seem to be pretty sedate swimmers (more like apistos than the more hyper rams) and a single individual should make a good centerpiece fish in a 10g. A single ram could also be kept as a centerpiece. Lots of stucture on the borrom should make up for the fact that a 10g is a little on the small side for these active swimmers.
Good Luck
thanks! i really appreciate the thorough post. with so many choices i'm gonna have a lot of thinking and research to do.
Mooman and I both share a love for apistogramma, he actually is the one who got me started on them. I suggest starting out with a pair of Apisto. Cacatuide I cant spell, but its well enough to get you somewhere. They are very simple to care for like you dont have to worry about the water or any of that stuff and you'll get a spawn pretty readily. When this happens you are going to want to remove the male (I speak from experience) although my current pair I dont have that problem.
A cacatuoides
As kyle said, they are the perfect apisto to cut your teeth on. Reasily available, easy to spawn (actually impossible not to spawn), and a very attractive fish. If you go with apistos, don't let thier drab color in the lfs tank turn you off. Once they establish a teritory in your tanks the fish will undergo an amazing transformation.
As kyle said, they are the perfect apisto to cut your teeth on. Reasily available, easy to spawn (actually impossible not to spawn), and a very attractive fish. If you go with apistos, don't let thier drab color in the lfs tank turn you off. Once they establish a teritory in your tanks the fish will undergo an amazing transformation.
thanks guys! i looked on google and i love those cacatuoides. i think i'm going to get a pair after my tank is set up.
good choice... we didnt let you down I promise! the cacs are amazing and they grow quickly. Like mooman said they are impossible to get to not breed... I put zebra danios in there to try and prevent it and much to my dismay they still keep spawning like convicts or something. O well, its just I dont have a whole load of time on my hands to raise the fry. (college) Im going to warn you right now, APISTOS ARE ADDICTIVE before you know it your going to be having them everywhere, even your bathroom maybe
Ohh so now your crackin on my pooper tank huh? You know how fish tanks are supposed to relax you? Try it, I pormise your transactions will never go smoother or be more enjoyable 