# Help me stock my new tank!



## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

First let me describe the tank. It’s a 29G that I just set up this past weekend. I used real fine black sand and a lot of “root” looking driftwood. I arranged it in such a way so that the bottom is about 75% covered in wood. Within the pieces there are quite a few caves and hiding places. You get the idea..

The lighting is very low, only 18W of CF light shining down on a particular area. Where the light hits is a couple of makeshift flowerpots hidden within the wood. These are filled with eco complete and I have a few stem plants planted. Also I have an anubis nana plant, and a ton of java moss spread across some of the wood. Simple enough…you get the idea. I am really pleased with the way it has turned out and maybe I’ll even post some pics.

Eventually, but not until the tank has a few months of time under its belt, I’d like to keep apistogramma cacatuoides. That is primarily what I designed this tank for. 

I am moving two panda corys from my 30G into this tank. They are having some problems with eroding barbells from digging around in the eco complete, and I want to get them on sand. If they seem to improve in their new home I’ll probably add a couple more, maybe even bump their numbers up to six. Maybe..

Anyway, I wanted a school of something that dwells mid water in the tank as well. But, the tank is obviously very lightly planted, and I am looking for a fish that will feel comfortable in an environment like that. These stems are not going to grow very fast and full, so there will be minimal cover for a school of something to hide in. I want to keep the fish as small as possible. With that in mind I’ve had my eye on neons, rasboros, and rummy nose tetras. 

Talk to me people…let me know what you think. I like to keep my fish as stress free as I can, and do what I can to make them feel secure. 

Oh, I was thinking about maybe adding some red cherry shrimp but I didn’t want to crowd the bottom to much nor do I want the cichlids to eat them at five bucks a pop.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

It sounds like you'll have a nice tank for many different types of fish. 

For the schoolers, I was going to suggest the same ones you mentioned having your eye on, so I guess it mostly depends on what your preference is. Being that it's not too densely planted, the rasboras may feel the most at home out of all of them you mentioned.

The cac's should be fine too, but they may or may not eat your shrimp if you get them. If there aren't too many hiding places, the shrimp may be vulnerable to the cacs, since they hang around the bottom of the tank too.

And yes, it would definitely be a good idea to increase your number of Cory's to 6 or so. They feel much more secure that way. 

Keep us posted on what you decide, and your progress.


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## bristles (Mar 7, 2006)

I like the neon idea or possibly Amandae tetras (copper color & small) & your corries would be very happy with the addition of 4 more as you were thinking.


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

Wow bristles, the tetras you mentioned are beautiful. They are def. something to consider. Im gonna take plenty of time to decide, but what I think its going to come down to is which fish I think will feel the most comfortable in a tank with hardly any plants. (Maybe I worry to much?)

Shrimp are out, Ive been told by others that the apistos will snack on them. And I'll def. be getting some more corys for my current guys to hang with. 
Should turn out rather nice.


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

Here it is, tell me what you guys think of it..


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## bristles (Mar 7, 2006)

Hey k2oA2, 
nice looking tank, very peaceful I love your wood layout I'm thinking that an Anubias balanese would look good in the back left corner for some hight and to add more plant mass


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## ihooklow (Sep 20, 2006)

Some floating plants might work as well, too. That would tend to make schoolers feel more secure. I am sure that with out any additional cover they will stay in a tight group under the floating bunch.

They also make some very realistic fake plants now. Heresey, I know. But they do fool the fish.

I love my Gold Harlequin Rasboras. I have 23 in a 29-gal and they look just about right. Not the tightest of schoolers but they do stay in a group. And they are just beautiful.


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## Ulan (Oct 2, 2006)

K20A2 said:


> I am moving two panda corys from my 30G into this tank. They are having some problems with eroding barbells from digging around in the eco complete, and I want to get them on sand.


Just a comment on this: I don't think that the eco-complete is responsible for the erosion of the barbels. I have julii cories on eco-complete, and their barbels got considerably longer since I got them from the LFS, even though they don't have anything else to dig in than eco-complete.


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

Ulan said:


> Just a comment on this: I don't think that the eco-complete is responsible for the erosion of the barbels. I have julii cories on eco-complete, and their barbels got considerably longer since I got them from the LFS, even though they don't have anything else to dig in than eco-complete.


I'm not 100% sold on that idea either. Perhaps pandas are just more fragile? I have had 4 (now 6) peppered corys on the same substrate that have had no problems at all. Someone on another forum mentioned that it was probably alkaline water and high dissolved organics. But yet on another forum we were discussing that it was a high level of bacteria in the deep (2"-3") layer of eco complete. In the end...who knows?

I moved one into the 29G Friday night but the second panda is nowhere to be found. I searched everywhere in the tank and all over the floor in case he went on a suicide mission.

I'm thinking about getting a few bronze corys to keep my panda company. I don't think I really trust the quality of the pandas that are passing through.


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

ihooklow said:


> Some floating plants might work as well, too. That would tend to make schoolers feel more secure. I am sure that with out any additional cover they will stay in a tight group under the floating bunch.
> 
> They also make some very realistic fake plants now. Heresey, I know. But they do fool the fish.
> 
> I love my Gold Harlequin Rasboras. I have 23 in a 29-gal and they look just about right. Not the tightest of schoolers but they do stay in a group. And they are just beautiful.


Thats funny you would mention fake and floating plants. I was thinking of getting something fake that would float to make them feel more secure since they cant really hide amongst the stems in that tank. Good call on that.

Im about 99% sure Im going to go with a school of rasboras.


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

I've never had any problems with Eco complete wearing barbels down either, but yes, some Panda's can be more sensitive, so that may be it.

Very nice wood in your tank, BTW.


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

JanS said:


> I've never had any problems with Eco complete wearing barbels down either, but yes, some Panda's can be more sensitive, so that may be it.
> 
> Very nice wood in your tank, BTW.


Thank You. I found it at a really nice fish store about 25 minutes south of my house. My girlfriend and I like to take road trips to check out every fish store within somewhat of a reasonable distance. She's becoming just as obsessed as I am.

I still don't know if I should give the pandas another try. I really like them so much because of their max size.

What other corys stay relatively small and are a little easier to keep?


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## yoink (Aug 31, 2005)

Corydoras trilineatus, often mislabeled as julii, are easy to keep and don't get longer than a couple inches.


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

Something else I was thinking about.. Is it necessary to keep a school of mid water dwelling fish in the tank with the apistogramma cacatuoides? Will they be less shy with a school of something or does it not matter?


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## JanS (Apr 14, 2004)

None of the Cory's get too big, so as stated, the trilineatus is a pretty hardy one along with a good share of the other ones.
So far, Panda's are really the only ones that don't thrive for me, so I think you'd be pretty safe with a group of whichever type suits your fancy.

I think any of the midwater fish you've been thinking about (rasbora's, tetras, etc.) would be fine with the Apisto's.
I don't think it's necessary though. I generally keep my Apisto's in their own tank so that if they breed the fry would stand a better chance, but that isn't always necessary either.

I guess it all boils down to how you'd like the tank to look.


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## sarcare (Sep 10, 2006)

One thing that hasn't been mentioned, though, is the fact that the apistos and the corys might not get along too well. I have rams that I've seen harrass my corys in order to steal food from them. It might be even worse with other apistos as they are sometimes more agressive. They both tend to hang around the bottom, so apistos and corys don't always work together. Fast moving fish higher in the water column should be fine.


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

yoink said:


> Corydoras trilineatus, often mislabeled as julii, are easy to keep and don't get longer than a couple inches.


Thanks for the suggestion, I've done some homework on them and I got my guy at the store to keep an eye out for them when he gets his "list".


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

JanS said:


> I don't think it's necessary though. I generally keep my Apisto's in their own tank so that if they breed the fry would stand a better chance, but that isn't always necessary either. I guess it all boils down to how you'd like the tank to look.


I got to thinking the other night while watching my tanks. I was staring at the 29 and I sort of liked it relatively bare looking in regards to fish. It would be more peaceful then my 30 in the sense that there would be no school of tetras swimming back and forth all the time like madmen. I'm starting to lean towards this look now, but only time will tell.


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

sarcare said:


> One thing that hasn't been mentioned, though, is the fact that the apistos and the corys might not get along too well. I have rams that I've seen harrass my corys in order to steal food from them. It might be even worse with other apistos as they are sometimes more agressive. They both tend to hang around the bottom, so apistos and corys don't always work together. Fast moving fish higher in the water column should be fine.


This thought crossed my mind too. I have 6 peppered corys living in a 36 inch long 30G tank with 3 bolivian rams and I haven't had any issues yet. I'm hoping everyone will get along. Even though this tank is shorter there are more places to hide thanks to all the twisted wood along the bottom. If they do end up fighting, it will be the corys that get moved for sure. This tank was built for the apistos.


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## sarcare (Sep 10, 2006)

Bolivians are less agressive then either the blues or most other apistos, so watch carefully. I have a gold ram female--teenie meanie--who earned that name by not allowing ANY fish near the bottom of the entire 38g tank she calls home--that is a 3 foot tank. She even occasionally leaves the bottom to chase down other fish who might intrude on her territory.


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

Ok, I have the opportunity to purchase some apistogramma agassizii. I'm letting the LFS sit on them for another week or so to ensure that they aren't all going to die as soon as I get them home. 

Does anyone keep the agassizi successfully? From what Ive read they appear to be on par with the apistogramma cacatuoides in regards to ease of keeping. Is this true or are their water requirements a little more demanding?
My water is soft (4 drops on the AP test) with a PH of about 7.4 or 7.6, will this be ok?
Also does anyone know how to sex these fish? They are all mostly blue, gray, white, and a little bit of yellow.


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

Back up this goes...

I purchased one of the supposed "agassizii" and after doing some homework it appears that it could possibly be a hybrid called steel blue. 

Anyone know anything about this fish?


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## ed seeley (Dec 1, 2006)

> Anyone know anything about this fish?


Never kept them but found this thread on apistogramma.com's forum. Hope it helps.

Steelblue breeding - Page 2 - Apistogramma Forums - The Dwarf Cichlid Connection

It seems they are probably hybrids and femlaes may be very, very hard to get hold of.

Are you sure though? They don't look anything like aggies!


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## K20A2 (Aug 12, 2006)

Heres a few pics of the little guy, I have no doubts now about him/her being a steel blue apisto.




























I definetly like this guy, not shy at all. Anyone have one of these?


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