Peaceful Apistos...

[Cypherman]

I'm looking for a peaceful apistogramma species to start a small (6 fish) colony with in my planted 75 gallon with the following fish:

12 Cardinal tetras
10 Celebes Rainbowfish
12 Dwarf Rasbora
8 Guppies
10 Bumblebee Gobies

My three favorite species are Apistograma vieja, borellii, and biataenia. Are any of these three suitable? If not, then what are? Thanks.

 

[wayne]

Realistically in a 75 I would imagine almost any apisto is likely to work, there 'wild' population densities being so much higher. You could always be unlucky and get the 'lone psychotic' (I' had a furious male panduro that killed everything!), but I think you'll be ok, especially with the borelli and bitaeniata. Try to get 2 males 4 females or 3 males 6 females.

 

[Z Man]

Any Apisto's available at The Fish Place would be fine in your tank. You could even use 2 or 3 different species in trio's or pairs if you would like.

 

[irishspy]

A. Cacatuoides are pretty mild-mannered for cichlids. With that size tank, you could maintain a trio of Cacatuoides and another A. Borelli (another fairly peaceful species) pretty easily.

--Anthony

 

[Cypherman]

Thanks for the advice ppl. I hadnt considered cacatuoides (another very attractive species).

 

[erichK]

A. Cacatuoides are pretty mild-mannered for cichlids. With that size tank, you could maintain a trio of Cacatuoides and another A. Borelli (another fairly peaceful species) pretty easily.

--Anthony

I keep both Borelli and Cacatuoides and definitely find the B the more peaceful of the the two. They even managed to spawn in a little 10 gal tank full of cardinal and neon tetras and a couple of little catfish without causing mayhem...and I'll never forget the spectacle of the much bigger male backing of some frozen bloodworms he'd been darting toward and simply waiting and watching while two of his 1/3" progeny worked to consume it!

Marvelous little guys. The C's, on the other hand, tend to dart and bluster toward each other. They haven't done each other real damage (like say Kribs will), but got us worried enough to separate them.