My Apistography

[Pete Johnson <petej@tlg.net>]

Just learned about this mailing list and am excited to find it. I keep a 
number of Apistogramma species, including:

 * A. agassizii (Peruvian blue, wild)
 * A. bitaeniata (Peruvian, wild)
 * A. cacatuoides (red & orange)
 * A. eunotus
 * A. gossei
 * A. macmasteri
 * A. nijsseni
 * A. norberti
 * A. resticulosa
 * A. steindachneri
 * A. trifasciata
 * A. sp. rotpunkt
 * A. sp. breitbinden
 * A. viejita CF II

I have bred agassizii, bitaeniata, breitbinden, eunotus, juruensis, 
nijsseni, resticulosa, rotpunkt and trifasciata. Maybe a couple of 
others. I once found a lone steindachneri baby in a tank. The parents 
trysted discretely, or else it was a case of spontaneous generation.

At the moment I have some unpaired Apistos -- survivors of former pairs 
or groups. These include hippolytae (M), gibbiceps (F?), juruensis (2F) 
and sp. tucurui (2M). I'd love to find companions for these lonely fish.

My other major fish enthusiasm is Laetacara species -- I keep dorsiger, 
curviceps, sp. buckelkopf and expect some thayeri this weekend. I have 
bred all but the thayeri. I'd *really* like to find Laetacara sp. 
orangeflossen. Anyone got any? (I know, this is not the Laetacara mailing 
list.)

Let's see. Many of my tanks are planted: vallisneria, crypts, swords, 
hornwort and more. I also use lots of floating plants: duckweed (I HATE 
duckweed, but once you have it you never lose it), frogbit, giant frogbit 
(GREAT plant!) and salvinia. I give them lots of light (5,000 K 
fluorescents) and fertilizer (when I remember).

The fish swim in R/O water mixed with a bit of our nasty San Jose water 
(400+ ppm hardness, pH near 8, but the R/O water tempers that) changed 
weekly, more or less, at least 25% per tank.

I feed baby brine shrimp, twice a day. Every fish loves it, even the 
bigger guys. Sometimes I feed mosquito larvae and daphnia, both of which 
grow in outside tubs. And ocasionally a pinch of flake food.

I'm fortunate to live in San Jose. Through the Pacific Coast Cichlid 
Association, which meets here every month, I've met others who enjoy (and 
sometimes hate) Apistos -- Hal Makin, Kurt Zadnick, Brian Wollinski (now 
moved to Florida), Albert So, Ed Pon, Robert Shields, Lisa Wrischnik (who 
told me about this list), David Soares and more.

I look forward to meeting the people here on the list -- let's talk 
Apistos!


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     If wishes were fishes we'd all have ponds.

Pete Johnson        San Jose, CA       petej@tlg.net
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