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Re: peat moss
>> I am contemplating setting up a tank with a UGF covered by an inch of gravel, > then some peat, then more gravel and/or sand.<<
FWIW, One of my Killie club friends, Brad Higgins, uses a thick layer of sphagnum moss as a substrate for his 'natural' setups. Sphagnum moss is the dried live plants as apposed to the decaying mulm that is peat. It can be found at Franks nursery and other similar stores as it is used for potting orchids and such.
He uses a 10 gallon tank with a thick layer 4-5 inches of sphagnum. You need to let it sit a few days. You will see a white haze develop, this is a bacterial bloom. Once this disappears, it is safe to add the fish. He also adds a good layer of Nijas or similar plant in a layer across the top.
He only feeds live food in this setup, BBS, daphnia and black worms. He has found live black worms in the moss when he breaks the tank down (after several months).
The females find refuge either in the plants or in the sphagnum, or both. He lets the eggs hatch in the tank and spoons out fry as he finds them.
Some of this technique may work with apistos, except you would need some rocks or similar material for a spawning surface.
Bill Vannerson
McHenry, IL
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/william_vannerson
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