New Set up of Male Apistogramma Tank with L46 Plecos

[wasabi8888]

Hi all

I have decided to tear down my community planter tank (with Co2) as I am tired of clearing the algae every week.

I want to set up a male apistogramma tank (prob 2-3 different species) with 3 L46s. I will remove my present substrate with base fert and replace with BLACK Dennerle Substrate to bring out the color of the fishes.

Question:

1. Can the above fishes co-exist? I do not intend to breed the L46s as I do not have a grow out tank....

2. I will add a new filter in addition to my Juwel filter. Any suggestions for this? I prob need to overfiltrate. I know the apistos do not like strong current, but the 3 agassizii tefes i have in a similar combination set up ( 1 feet cube tank) seems ok (am i answering my own question?)

3. Tank will be simple, mostly driftwood, slates and couple of nanas... Will keep ground footprint low...

Mods, do not know where to post this thread, cichlids? catfishes? Equipment?

[Quixotic]

It's okay to post here as this would constitute a community tank.

What is the footprint of this tank?

1, 2: I think you have partly answered your questions. I am generally not in favour of keeping them together for various reasons.

Although L46 prefers a rather strong current, they would also do okay in moderate current, provided the water condition is really good and dissolved oxygen is high. However, I would prefer to replicate their natural habitat as much as possible, which requires a rather high tank turnover and this will not be suitable for Apistogrammas.

L46 can also be as territorial as cichlids, where they will defend their own territory aggressively. These fights can sometimes result in multiple injuries that may lead to death. I don't know if Apistogrammas will take on the L46 head on in their fights for territorial, but considering both can be equally aggresive, I wouldn't be keen to find out the winner in the end.

Best to keep L46 with current loving dither fish like small tetras.

3. If you do intend to keep them together, I guess driftwood and slates will be okay although the natural habitat of L46 is mainly rocks. Lots of hiding places would be absolutely necessary.

If you are eventually keeping L46 , even if you do not intend to breed them, do consider breeding them in the future. I worry for their future in the wild, considering the various potential threats to their habitats.

[wasabi8888]

Thanks for the advice.. do you know where I can search for a list of current loving fishes? I feel like keeping boraras brigittae or ruby tetras.. what about chocolate and honey yellow gouramis?

[Quixotic]

Hmmm... don't think there are any websites, but those with stream lined bodies generally love a little current or two.

I would suggest tetras, because they come from similar biotopes. Ruby tetras sound like a good choice, green neon tetras should work well too. Gouramis don't really like currents that much.

[illumnae]

boraras brigittae, T. hetaromorpha and T. espeii are current loving fish. mine always love to play around in the filter outlet area. but if you're going for fish from a similar biotope, i agree that small tetras would be a good idea

[wasabi8888]

hmmmm.. i love the idea of boraras brigittae and ruby tetras... but afraid checkerboards will take them for a meal...... is that possible?

[illumnae]

very possible. my friend's Apisto. elizabethae pair died at the same time 9 boraras brigittae went missing. this was in a span of a couple of hours only. no boraras corpse was in or around the tank, or in the filter. i suspect either choking or indigestion

[wasabi8888]

hmmmm... if that's the case, may need to relook at tank mates.. well a step at a time... let's see how it goes....

[Quixotic]

Seriously, go for tetras instead of cyprinids.

[wasabi8888]

Quixotic

Can you explain why said that? Is ruby tetras ok?

small footprints means the amount of area that the DW touches the base of the tank

[doppelbanddwarf]

Jeffrey what about some golden tetras, Hemigrammus rodwayi. Gold in colour and small in size. They might lose that golden sheen over time but they stil look attractive with a bluish-green line across their silver bodies.

[Quixotic]

Jeffrey, if you are keeping L46s, tetras come from similar biotope. Tetras are easily available here, so why not use something more "natural"?

So using cyprinids, which comes from a totally different place, would be rather weird. It's not that you cannot use them, but for a more "natural" look, use tetras instead.

In the end, it's a matter of choice. As long as your fishes are healthy, that's all that matters. It's just a minor nitpick from me.

[wasabi8888]

Now I understand. Thanks for the advice Quixotic

[Gecko]

Question:
I do not intend to breed the L46s as I do not have a grow out tank....

Just to add that you do not need a grow out tank, it has been presented quite often that fry left with the main colony fare better and grow faster...I can attest to that. Just add a cave and you might be surprised.

I have black neons and hatchet fish as L46 tankmates not just for being faithful to the same biotope but just in case african or asian fish carry some pathogens that the zebras are not immune or are defendless against, well, just in case...

[wasabi8888]

HI Gecko

So you have tankmates with L46? You must be the only one.. everyone else told me to stay off from tankmates other that L46s. Main reason is that other fishes may fight the L46 for food...

Any advice?

[benny]

I have black neons and hatchet fish as L46 tankmates not just for being faithful to the same biotope but just in case african or asian fish carry some pathogens that the zebras are not immune or are defendless against, well, just in case...

A very good point that many less experienced aquarist would have missed.

Cheers,

[valice]

HI Gecko


So you have tankmates with L46? You must be the only one.. everyone else told me to stay off from tankmates other that L46s. Main reason is that other fishes may fight the L46 for food...

Any advice?

Jeff, it is all about knowing what fish and their characteristics.
If you see gecko's fish companions, hatchets and black neons. They are very much the top level fishes. And what you feeding plecos? sinking wafers right? so they feed at different levels of the tank, so no competition. it is all about knowing the right companions to comm with.

personally, i've not seen my black neons or hatchets going down to the substrate to fight for food with my D.maculatus. So will very much be the same for L46.

[wasabi8888]

Actually disagree with that.. food is food... i see my dwarf gouramis which are also top fishes fight for algae wafers that I throw into my current 2 feet. Of course, if I throw a lot of tetra pro on the surface, they will go for that first. But ultimately, they may still go to the substrate level to search for food right?

[Quixotic]

Don't think it is a yes or no answer, mileage will definitely vary.

For example, if you allow your tetras to go hungry, then they are very likely to search for food near the substrate. If you feed them well, then they will be less likely to compete with the L46s.

It's a balancing act, but of course, things would be esasier if you just kept L46s in the tank.