Re: A. Pandorini enroute

[Pete Johnson <petej@tlg.net>]

>I have three pair of A. Pandorini coming in Monday and have very
>alkaline water. I know these guys require soft water with a low pH.
>So what would be the least traumatic approach...

Lucky you!

I would suggest setting up a tank of soft water with at least slightly 
acid pH (R/O with trace elements and pH adjustment). When you get them, 
add Amquel or any other good ammonia remover to their bags of water to 
remove ammonia. If they are shipped in acid water, the ammonia becomes 
ammonium and if you move them to water above pH 6.8 it dramatically 
reverts to ammonia, which can burn their gills.

Drip water from their tank into their shipping bags, allowing about an 
hour to double the volume in the shipping bag. Then transfer them to the 
tank. Apistos are pretty abused in the shipping process and have already 
probably been bounced through diverse water conditions. In my experience, 
they're pretty resilient regrading pH and hardness changes as long as the 
water is clean.

Over time, adjust the pH in their tank to 6.0 or lower -- you can go 
below 5 with these fish. Keeping the pH around 6 and a temperature of 
about 78F will help avoid skewing sex ratios in fry. Sex in Apistos is 
determined during the first month and is affected by environment: higher 
temperatures will produce more males, higher pH values will favor females.

>My next question is in reference to tank size for maintenance.  From
>questions and readings, I have found that to breed these guys it
>requires a 45 to 60 gal tank.  Initially, I just want to make sure
>they're going to survive with conditioning to follow.  Would a 90 gal
>plant tank safely house six A. Pandorini's along with some Praecox
>rainbows?

That would probably work -- provide lots of hiding places. I haven't kept 
A. pandorini, but I have a group of eight A. nijsenni, a similar species, 
in a 2' x 4' planted tank and they're pretty happy, although I find 
occasional piscicides. Watch carefully for aggression and be prepared to 
rescue victims from agressors. I'd set up a spare 10 gallon or two for 
this purpose.

Good luck & save some baby pandorinis for me!


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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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