Re: Apistos and planted tank

[plasticolor@guate.net]

Andy:

I have a couple of 55 gl. tanks set up for Apistos (I`m just missing the
Apistos).  They are all heavily planted and have a large centerpiece of
driftwood with crevices for nesting sites.  I set them up like all my other
tanks, but I always use the same species assemblage:  I keep only one
species (one breeding group/pair) of cichlids per tank; 1 monospecific
school of bottom cleaners (usually small species of Corydoras) and 1 large
school of small, colorful Characins as dithers.  This combination allows me
to keep delicate plants, such as Madagascan lace-leafs or Myriophyllum
matogrossoensis, all fish species breed (although I don`t raise the dithers
or the cleaners) and I use a minimum of equipment (a medium external box
filter, light 1/2 - 1 Watt per Gallon and weekly 25% water changes).
I never have to worry about hybrids, fights among the territorial cichlids
and I get to enjoy the whole nine yards of parental behaviour, since I
always let the parents raise their young for at least 3 months, or until
the female lays her next clutch.
Since I run my planted tanks for at least a month without fish, by the time
I introduce cleaners and dithers, water conditions are always excellent,
even after using tap water.  I use DIY yeast reactors during the first
month to stimulate initial growth and a peat/laterite/pumice soil mixture
which, apparently, not only stimulates healthy plants, but also keeps the
water values very stable.
On those occasions when I have exceeded 1 Watt per Gallon I have more
trouble with algae than positive results with plants.  The high light
levels also spook Cardinal Tetras, Black Neons and Glowlights which, by the
way, look much better at lower light levels.
This setup has given me great results with 2 species of Apistos,
Hemichromis lilfalili and small local cichlids like C. salvini and C.
pasione, although in the latter the dithers slowly dissapeared.
Hope this helps.

Peter Rockstroh
plasticolor@guate.net

At 02:15 PM 25/06/1998 EDT, you wrote:
>Right now I am collecting ro water to set up a 55 gallon apisto biotype tank.
>the previous post on mixing apistos inspired me to ask the following
>questions.  I am planning, after speaking to a few breeders, to have either 2
>or 3 groups of five apistos from 3 different complexes.  The tank will be
>heavily planted with driftwood rockwork and coconut shells.  The lightint
will
>be VHO bulbs.  I could go with 110 watts or 220 watts.  the 220 watts may be
>overkill but I am thinking that if I go with blackwater it wouldn't hurt.  So
>would you recommend blackwater (boiled peat or cannister filtered peat) or go
>with clear water and less lighting.  I am trying to stear clear of CO2
>supplementation.  Would love to hear your thoughts?
>
>Andy
>
>
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