Can I keep Kribs or Apisto's with my water

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kieranmhewitt

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Apr 19, 2003
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Hi all,
I am looking to keep either Kribensis or Apistogramma Cacatoides (Dwarf Cockatoo Cichlid) in a community tank but I fear my water may be too hard. Can anyone advise me if these fish will be OK considering my water chemistry below, and if so would they be able to breed.

PH 7.5-8
KH 11
GH 21

Thanks
Kieran
 
Will they survive? Maybe. Will they thrive? I don't think so. The ph is a little on the high side (but you can bring that down a number of ways). The problem I see is the hardness (21 wow! thats hard). If your heart is set on them there are things you can do to lower hardness in your tank (do initial fill with RO water from lfs, water changes with rainwater or more purchased RO, peat filtration). From what I've read (somebody correct me if i'm wrong) the cacatuoides will fair better in harder more alkaline water. Mine breed in ph=7.2, gh=7. But 7 is long way from 21. I think the hardness will have an effect on the eggs (parents might lay them, but they won't hatch).

With that said, they are really great fish. Apisto's are my all time favorites (right now anyway).

Have you looked into shell dwellers (L. brevis)? From what i understand, your water is great for them, and they will breed like crazy. The ones I see in my lfs show great behavior. They are my next cichlid project.
 
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Thanks for your replies. Would N. Brevis be suitable in a community tank or would it tear them all up.

Thanks
Kieran
 
No they are not good in community tanks, they can be nasty little buggers.

What size is your tank and what other fish? Could you consider a brevis-only tank? (or any other shellie for that matter, ocellatus are great) They are quite entertaining little fish! hehehe


-Diana
 
The tank is a Rio 240 so 4ft long 240l. I really want a community tank with Rainbows and some Tiger Barbs etc with a couple of Cichlids too so if anyone has any recommendations I would be grateful.

Kieran
 
I think you could have a community tank, but it would have to be specialized to thier needs. Lamprologus brevis is an African cichlid, so it's habitat would be rocks, sand, fine gravel. Maybe a few sparse plantings (shellies will excavate holes, steal shells from other males and generaly rearange thier tank on a constant basis which I think will be cool to watch). As far as tankmates for this biotope i'm not sure. Hopefully someone has had some experience. As with all cichlids they do get territorial when breeding, but I think thier territories are smaller that the SA dwarfs and they will form harems. I've also heard they will set up generational colonies (older fry help care for and protect younger fry. Very cool.)
 
Well, one thing though Kieran.

Are you planning on just keeping them or are you planning on eventually breeding them?

The reason I ask is because you asked if you could KEEP Apisto's or Kribs in your water. ;)
 
I would like to breed but it isn't essential so if i can't I can accept that.
 
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