Can I put apistos into this tank?

[Enda]

I've never kept apistos before, but they strike me as colourful and fish with character. I have an 1 foot which is quite heavily planted with Microsorum and Anubias, along with rockwork. Currently just some neon tetras and guppies occupy it. It's an overhead filter. I have a fine gravel substrate.

I know apisto are rather hardy, but I would like my fish to show good colours and finnage. I heard that these can be affected by the pH and kH of the water. A friend recommended the use of ADA Africana soil to maintain good pH and kH for apistos. My pH is around neutral at the moment.

Any input on this? I know apistos will survive in my tank, but I would like them to thrive, rather, and preferably to spawn as well. Any advice on what to change, improve on for apistos?

[2-Hats]

Hi Ender, I started keeping Apistos early this year, and share your sentiments concerning this family of fishes. Housing them in a 1-footer is fine, but you may need to maintain weekly water-changes. They requires soft and acidic water, so don"t bother about the KH/GH. Ideally PH should be 5 to 6.5, so substrates which contains peat, such as ADA will aid in softening and lowering the PH to the required level. During spawning, they are extremely territorial, so do keep an eye out for their tankmates; as a 1-footer is about the size of their territory

[mordrake]

lower ph and soft water would help in the colouration of the apistos but not an absolute requirement to induce spawns.
i have managed to spawn and raise apistos (inka, agassizi, algodonII, bits, etc) in ph neutral waters before.
those apistos that are normally in the market do fine with neutral ph.
however, from readings off the net, more exotic ones like diplotaenia and elizabethae may need low ph to spawn.

imho, the main contributing factors to induce apisto spawns are:
1. clean water with consistant ph levels
2. plenty of caves and plants to provide hiding places for sense of security
3. good diet.

with the above, your apistos would feel comfortable and spawning chances are increased.

some apistos females get really aggressive towards the male after spawning, even killing him. so for a 1ft tank, there is not much space for your male to hide from her attacks.
also your other fishes will go for the fry, placing the female under alot of stress to defend. sometimes females die from exhaustion.
i highly suggest you get at least a 1.5ft tank if you intend to spawn apistos.
mind you, that a 1.5ft tank would restrict you to the smaller apistos like inka. some apisto males can grow up to 2.5inches.

for more in depth discussion on apistos, you can visit www.petfrd.com/forum/index.php?