Re: Apisto pairs [rant, but interesting]

[Frauley/Elson <fraulels@minet.ca>]

wingko yung wrote:
> 
> Hello everyone...
> 
> Here's an observation that I would really appreciate some feedback
> on.  I don't know if its just me, but I find buying pairs of dwarf
> cichlids does not work. 
> 
> Sam Yung

Hi Sam,
Being very cheap, I often buy pairs, and rarely have problems. I think
more than anything, you're having old fashioned lousy luck.
When I get a pair, I make sure the tank they go into is at least a 20
gallon. There are also a lot of hiding places provided, and a few dither
fish. Either you crowd like crazy or understock. I recently
over-stretched myself, tried keeping pairs in 10 gallon tanks for the
first time, and I lost 2 males immediately after spawns. It might have
been coincidental, but I find room to move very important for these
fish.
You encountered my true nemesis, from your story. I find that most of
the time, when you do lose half of a pair and replace a fish, your
original survivor dies. I lost a wild male njisseni a few months ago,
then replaced him with a captive-bred fish (from "Len/George" on the
list) and the fish now have fry - that was my first successful
're-pairing' in about ten tries. The new fish always survives, and this
happens even when the replacement fish comes from the same source, same
shipment. Drives me crazy...
If I were going for borellii, I'd buy a small group, but I've had great
luck with single pairs of cacatuoides. 
The other 'buyer beware' experience I've had has been with multiple male
cacatuoides. i find that if you leave them together in a small enough
group for them to form territories and fight, the injuries/stress will
sometimes cost you the whole lot.
I'd say keep trying. I had similar problems when i first started keeping
apistos. Then, i broke down and bought a dozen young fish, and they were
all females. Sometimes, you can't win, but you can keep trying.
-gary


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