Newbie questions regarding planted tank for Apisto

[comet]

I recently brought a new tank. Have yet to set it up.



Tank: Gex Glaassterior 60x20X25(H) 26litres.

Haven't purchase the light and filter.

I am think to get either a trio or a pair of apisto. Not sure which species yet (feel to recommend). I have no experience with them. So want to try them out in this tank.

1) It will be using excel as a carbon source, are apisto ok with it?

2) This is a long tank, I will try to create some cave for them to hide and breed. Most likely using coconut husk. How many caves do I need?

3) Thinking of growing glosso in the tank. Will the apisto up root them or dig on the red packet Gex soil?

4) I haven't decide what other tank mates are in the tank, perhaps a pleco or amano shrimps?

If there's any nice examples of apisto planted tank do point to me as well. I am still finding inspirations for the setup.

[joopsg]

I recently brought a new tank. Have yet to set it up.



Tank: Gex Glaassterior 60x20X25(H) 26litres.

Haven't purchase the light and filter.

I am think to get either a trio or a pair of apisto. Not sure which species yet (feel to recommend). I have no experience with them. So want to try them out in this tank.

1) It will be using excel as a carbon source, are apisto ok with it?
Never try before. Usually without carbon.

2) This is a long tank, I will try to create some cave for them to hide and breed. Most likely using coconut husk. How many caves do I need?
If you intend to keep trio, as many as possible. Try to break the line of sight.

3) Thinking of growing glosso in the tank. Will the apisto up root them or dig on the red packet Gex soil?
Yes, most apistogrammas will forage so most likely they will pick up the substrate if they are small enough.

4) I haven't decide what other tank mates are in the tank, perhaps a pleco or amano shrimps?
Otos, Pencil fishes are more commonly use dither fishes or tank mates. if shrimp is small, some apistogramma will eat.

If there's any nice examples of apisto planted tank do point to me as well. I am still finding inspirations for the setup.

Please kindly see the wording in blue. These are my personal opinions.

[doppelbanddwarf]

I agree with what Henry says above. You would need lots of cover so that the line of sight can be broken. Also apistos would sift through the substrate so you will want the plants to be rooted in before introducing the apistos in.
If you want the apistos to breed successfully then otos rather than plecos would be better.
Shrimps may be attacked and killed even if they are big enough not to fit into the mouths of the apistos. Commonly available pencilfishes tend to be good dither fishes for breeding, all except the golden pencilfish, Nannostomus beckfordi, which behave like tetras and may attack fry.

[apisto31]

Hi bro,

here's my comments:

)
It will be using excel as a carbon source, are apisto ok with it?
I tried it before, no issue and Caca managed to breed.

2) This is a long tank, I will try to create some cave for them to hide and breed. Most likely using coconut husk. How many caves do I need?
Based on the size of your tank, you can be able to scatter 3-4 coconut husks there. Put the branches/plants in between the caves so they it can create a clear demarcated territories.

3) Thinking of growing glosso in the tank. Will the apisto up root them or dig on the red packet Gex soil?
Glosso requires high light which is oppose to what apisto wants. You may want to try Staurogyne repens? It can grow relatively slowly low light based on the info on the net (Im growing it in high tech now). Best thing is, it's originated from Brazil so suitable for amazon biotope as well.
4) I haven't decide what other tank mates are in the tank, perhaps a pleco or amano shrimps?
I have/had the following tankmates: Oto, Cardinal Tetra, D. filamentosus, Pencilfish (my fave since they stay most of the time on middle-top), Yamato, Nerite Snails, Cory (not advisable if you intend to breed as they might snatch and eat the egg)