South American centerpiece fish for a 20L?

[Ulan]

what about trying Bolivian rams?

I have already thought about those, but they vanished from the local aquarium trade about one year ago (they share this fate with many staple fish; what you get is either gimmicky or gets huge).

 

[Inka4040]

Apistos, like alot of fish, aren't nearly as fussy with their water conditions than many would have you believe. My water happens to be really soft out of the tap naturally, but most will be just fine as long as extremes are avoided. They do like caves, but that can be anything from pot shards, to coco huts, to holes and crevices in driftwood. Usually, stacking a couple pieces of driftwood will provide enough cover, and they will pick what they most want to use. Borelliis are also considered one of the easiest of the apistos to keep.

 

[Hooked Newbie]

I'd also suggest an Apisto, but I'd avoid the Triple Reds. They are gorgeous, but they seem a bit more aggresive than Borelli or Panduro IME. What about a Gold ram? It should show up well in a heavily planted tank.

 

[boomerjr91]

I concur with the apisto borelli suggestion. triple reds are more aggressive as newbie said above

 

[Ulan]

Thank you everyone for the input. I very much appreciate it .

Given my luck with blue rams, I guess gold rams would be about the same. I should look for Apistogramma borelli then. Let's hope I find some reliable source in the Phoenix area.

If not, did anyone ever order them online from a good source?

 

[Hooked Newbie]

Thank you everyone for the input. I very much appreciate it .

Given my luck with blue rams, I guess gold rams would be about the same. I should look for Apistogramma borelli then. Let's hope I find some reliable source in the Phoenix area.

If not, did anyone ever order them online from a good source?

Aquabid may be your best bet. They're not very common. Also check out the local fish club if there is one.

 

[Inka4040]

Twofishguys and Apistodave are both reputable sources. They both have independent websites as well as aquabid accounts. I'd have to go with TFG though, as Ryan is great to deal with. I think Dave is probably cheaper though, and he's also on your side of the country, so the shipping is probably less as well.

 

[Ulan]

Thanks, that looks good. I had been to the fish store tonight, but they didn't have any fish that impressed me very much. They had a selection of Apistos and even two Bolivian rams, but most fish looked somewhat stressed.

But that doesn't matter too much at the moment, as I will have to wait with the fish until I am sure I got rid of this disease outbreak I'm dealing with for good. That gives me time to prepare the tank properly .