Putting 2 pairs of Apistogramma in a community tank?

[mavarick]

Is it risky to put like 2 pairs of apistos(male and female) in the same tank?

I planning to get a 2ft tank... a pair of A.agassizi and another of A.trifasciata

[Justikanz]

Mavarick, please avoid using SMS languages, shortforms and spellings in your posts. Also, do not attempt to chalk up posts by posting 1-liners and replies with no meanings. A good way to accumulate posts is to go through the right way like asking sensible questions like the above, though I must say, if you are do a search in the forum, you will be able to find the answer to your above query.

In any case, are you talking about a pair of apistos (1 male and 1 female)? or 2 pairs of apistos (2 males and 2 females)? And are you referring to the 2 pairs of the same species? Try to be specific when asking also... It helps the other members to answer.

[genes]

Also, do state your tank size.

Not advisable to house 2 pairs in tanks 2ft or smaller. The dorminant pair will whack the other pair whenever they come into contact.

[Cacatuoides]

2ft Tank, advisable to keep only one pair of apistos....like what Eugene have mentioned

[wasabi8888]

Agree with Eman. For 2 feet tank, 1 pair maximum. Do not even mix other males in the tank

[joopsg]

golden rule of apisto keeping, 2ft per pair..

[yorky]

Somehow, I tend to disagree.
What's your purpose and what's your definition of risk?

As a matter of fact, you can put several pairs in a 2ft.
I've seen, frequently, 4 pairs in a L sized FIVE-Plan tank and 1 pair even bred.
The trick is that when they do get over-crowded, lesser chance to become territorial.
Flip-side of this is you need to ensure water is tip-top as bioload is high.

[iwishweallcouldwin]

Really depends on what your motive is for your setup...

[mavarick]

If i used a planted 3ft tanks and put like 2 pairs of simlar size apistogramma for eg. viejita with agasizii. Will the males end up hunting each other?

[iwishweallcouldwin]

well i've never tried that before... but i think there should be enough tank space for just two pairs, but it really depends on how well densely planted your tank is with wood and plants, and also how aggressive your pieces are? they can get very territorial when they're in breeding mood.

[genes]

Chasing will always happen. Provide lots of hiding place using woods or vegetation should help if you got more then a pair of species in a tank.

Do not always work though. I never did have luck with 2 pairs of apistos in a tank even though it was densely planted. Tried to house a pair of Ap. agassizii and Ap. cacatuoides in my 3ft planted. Dorminant male keeps chasing the other when they come into contact. Also depends on how you feel towards your fishes. My heart aches when i see another apisto being bullied by another, so i seperated them into individual tanks afew days later...

[iwishweallcouldwin]

haha same... i tried putting two pairs of Ap. cacatuoides into my planted 3ft and the same result took place... chasing and chasing.... couldn't bear the agony after a few weeks so I took one pair out... seems like apistos are fated to be lonely creatures... unless maybe you have a gay apisto community..

[mavarick]

Thanks. I got what you all mean... Apisto are meant to be keep in singular pair regardless of the size of the aquarium is it?

[illumnae]

i'm pretty sure you can keep 2 pairs in a 6ft planted tank! :P

[genes]

Well, not exactly true too, like yorky said, if the tank is too pack, there is no space for aggression. I have seen 2ft tanks with 4 or 5 species housed together. Flip side is if the tank is so packed....how to enjoy the fishes or the hobby? Usually, packing them in a tank is for holding purpose only.

[mavarick]

So if there are mutiples males like 3 more males thats means that the dominant male will not be able to exercise their agression Right?

[genes]

He will, but the aggression is like shared among the other males so that no one male gets too stress up and die from the constant chasing.

[mavarick]

so 2 pairs are a big nono right...Thanks guys I think i will go for 1 pair 1st then if it permits add another 2 more pairs into my 3ft tank later

[iwishweallcouldwin]

hiding spaces would be the key here... but overcrowded also not very nice... depends on what you want to achieve i guess.

[benny]

mavarick,

You need to ensure that the tank is decorated in such a way that there is no line of sight between the two pairs of fishes in a tank. Kind of like 2 'islands' where by the fishes cannot see each other.

For larger tanks that are appropriatedly decorated, you can house more than 2 pairs of dwarf cichlids.

Cheers,