My Apistogramma tank set-up

[sen_jie]

Hi guys

showing my apistogramma tank.

tank 1 :
tank dimension: 24 (L) X 10(B) X 12(H)
PH:5.6
Gravel : SUdo Sand



tank 2 :
tank dimension: 24 (L) X 10(B) X 12(H)
PH:4.5
Gravel : SUdo Sand + ADA amazonia soil




Both tank running on Eden 501 filteration + a small sponge filter

Problem face:
Fishes in both tank are very skitish and is constantly hiding.

Any Solution for this?

[sen_jie]

And i have 1 more problem, the plants in my 2nd tank have 90% turn brown, in less than 1 month. Any solution to that?

thanks in advance!

[ciaossu]

Hi, i love those woods you have there where did you bought it? GC?

My opinion on tank 1 is that you can try tying some moss on the woods it will look great with moss on it.

as for tank 2 what i see from the picture is that the light in mainly shining in the middle and the 2 sides didn't get much light. maybe that's the reason i'm not sure.

anyway, how did you manage to bring down your PH?

[sen_jie]

Thank bro for the advise

Yes i got all my woods from GC

i tried tying soem moss to my wood but after awhile i gave up. As my plants always died on me within 1 or 2 months time

I used to ahve a PL light for my plants, but the plants still turned brown and died, and the worst part is when my light is shining, my apisto will hide in the cave till the light is turn off.

I age my tank water with peat moss. and maybe its a mature tank, thus the Ph is alw sliding down.

i got a 3rd tank, for my papagei. the Ph is 3.9

[joopsg]

There is no dither fishes in the tank.
Imagine living in a big house all alone.

[sen_jie]

Hi bro Joopsg

for tank number 1, there is 5 rummynose and 5 cherry barbs in the tank.

as for tank number 2. its a "spawning tank" as the vejieta females turns yellow thus i rehome them. However sad news, my male KO-ed my female. SO now he is alone in the tank with a mirror.

[joopsg]

I suggest using pencilfish.

[mobile2007]

I am not sure this helps, but it seems to work on my tanks.

Stick black oyama paper around the 3 sides of your tank. If not , use some dark color paper also do the trick.

The sponge filter should not be bubbling too violently.

The plants turned brown probably due to the extreme low ph in tank 2.

[marle]

Sen_jie, i have seen tanks that are quite bare but the apistos are pretty brave and most probably thrive in both of the tanks you showed. Maybe tank 1 requires more plants.

One thing may i ask is when you acquired your fish initially, did you keep shifting their homes or do things that scared them initially? Its because i realize apistogrammas are pretty smart fishes(at least to me), and they kinda have some memory of the incidents that happened previously. If they started of living in the "new habitat" without threats, they will thrive even in a bare tank with some gravel. Additionally, the previous owner of the fish plays an important role too. More often than not, the fishes hide because they are afraid, and ample shelter is a good start to build their guts.

I remember you're the master breeder of Ap. Pauciquamis. Please la, these problems should be no kick to you.

[sen_jie]

to bro Joopsg, will do so over the weekend! thanks for advice!

to bro mobile2007, great suggestion, apparently that is going through my mind too. For a start to get oyama to paste on the side will be abit impossible as i need to shift the tank out to do so. So i think i will get those black plastic sheet to cover up the side. Hope it produce the same effect!

For tank 1 i have added in afew more lumps of java ferns. so now all the fishes are hiding under the ferns -_-

To bro marle, you still rememberd about the paciquamis huh haha those were the lucky days i guess... To tell you the truth, although i managed to spawn pacq, bit, mendezi, eliz etc. But up to today i still unable to spawn agassizi!!! boo hoo to me!

[mikhail]

From my experience, it takes a while for apistos to get used to with the new environment so it's normal that they hide initially at least for the 1st week. I have active tetras in my tank, all have been with me for years so the tetra when they see me (they probably recognize me as source of food), they would all come at front and soon the apistos began to mimic their behavior.

Also, as what other bros have mentioned, minimize the shifting of items in the tank. I do the usual maintenance every week only during water change but i tried to limit only to just trimming the plants. My tank is a high light one but i have floating plants like amazon frogbits. My apistos tend to ascend once in a while and gaze on the roots of the floating plants. They like doing that especially my male. I have a couple of female endlers which tends to do the same so i guess they got this idea on venturing to some parts of the tanks. But don't get an endler if your PH is too low. Mine happen to adapt because they were born in this tank.


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[sen_jie]

I guess must be the male vejieta seems too lonely. have shifted him up another tank whereby there is cherry barbs and rummynose to keep him company.

Will try to fine him a mate soon.

DO you think its a good idea to add blackwater extract?
(currently i add fishtamin vitamin from sera during every water change program)

[joopsg]

Blackwater extract does help to let the fishes feel better in the tank.

[sen_jie]

Just a point to ponder upon

Whats the difference between blackwater and ketapang juice? Are they the same thing?

[stormhawk]

Blackwater extract is nearly the same, except the manufacturers may have added other additives that aid in the spawning of certain fishes. You can get nearly the same effect with KTP extract. IMO, if the fishes are well-fed, kept happy in a good environment, they will spawn.

pH 3.9 is very low. I don't think any plants, save for some Cryptocorynes, will survive in there.

[sen_jie]

Thanks all for the advise. next week i shall
-will try to use black plastic sheets (from popular bookstore) to cover the sides
-will increase the PH to ard 5.6 range
-will get blackwater extract

see if it helps!

thanks

[mictok]

I use to keep the PH at 6 and if I felt that the pairs are ready to spawn then I will introduce rain water into the tank to induce them..

[stormhawk]

Apistos as a whole, prefer tanks with subdued lighting, and some leaf litter on the bottom, so a few pieces of KTP leaves should be sufficient. Covering the sides will help, though if you want to view them without spooking them, turn off the room lights, turn on the tank lights and have a seat in front of the tank. Don't make sudden movements and you will probably be able to see the apistos venture out.

I used Nannostomus beckfordi as a dither fish in the past, then switched over to cheap Neon Tetras. Worked just as well. The mama and papa apistos seldom whack the tetras, and they are good for diffusing aggression from the female during brooding phase.

[marle]

Hi Senjie,

I am not sure if this fact find can be accurate but ill just share it.

My Adoketas have been really active and greedy in an open tank filled with aged ADA Amazonia, pH ranging in the region of 6ish.

Afterwhich, i transferred them into a tank of slightly aged ADA Africana mixed with Amazonia(Africana below, Amazonia on top) of pH in the range of 5ish and let them settle for a considerable period of time.

I realized that the fishes are not as active and like to hide more. Additionally, the tank of pH5 is a larger tank with more places to hide(plants, wood etc.)

I have also placed the Elizabethae and Kelleri pair in the both tanks and it behaves the same way like the adoketa. The apisto pairs only spawned when the pH is around 5ish though. They did not spawn when i put them in the tank of pH6ish(many possible reasons why).

Can this be a conclusion that dwarf cichlids(certain species), are more active, less shy and show better coloration in a pH region of 6ish but spawns when the pH is lower at around 5ish?

Of course, there might be other factors affecting the result but this is my observation thus far.

[sen_jie]

Bingo. that is what i felt too. When i place my fish at ard 6.5 range, fish are active and flaring. When i place then in low PH, they turn skittish and do not even dare to come out to snatch for food.. BUT they spawn