Apistos in a community tank

["Max Gallade" <m.gallade@jdneuhaus.com>]

Hi all,
I'm a long time  reader "lurker" of the list.I'm a Apisto , SA dwarf cichlid
nut for a few years.I was born and raised in Germany and moved to the US 11
years ago.
I stumbled across a very interesting statement in Uwe Römer's Book
"Cichliden Atlas" that I translated for y'all to kick around(Page 306
-308)Aquarium Biology  A.bitaenniata,beginning of 4th sentence:
An optimum keeping  would be in groups of ca.10-20 individuals of this
species w.small characins or small top oriented Bachlingen (Pencilfish?) in
relatively soft humic acidic water.Corydoras,ancistrine and loriiciid
catfish or small pike cichlids (dwarf crenicichla)would be adequate aquarium
companions.In contrary to the often in the aquarium world mentioned
fear,healthy dwarf cichlid are very able to raise their brood around catfish
and small crenicichla,if they have enough hiding places.In such aquarium
keeping which I practise for many years,the breeding  success is not as high
as single pair keeping, but it is high enough to keep the line going,and the
fish develope their complete natural behavior repertoire.Unfortunately many
aquaristik publications suffer under the little knowledge their authors have
about the behavior potential of the above mentioned species.
A.bitaeniata is e.g.in isolated pair keeping (like other Apistogramma
species)often very aggressiv what could lead to death.The fish stay polygam
in bigger tanks,if you keep groups in an enemy free situation.The males will
defend large territories in which they will breed with as many females as
possible.If enemy fish appear like fry robbing dwarf crenicichla the fish
will build a binding pair that will defend their fry together against the
enemys.The roles between the sexes are strictly divided:The male defends the
larger breeding area of ca.20cm radius or the fry and the fem.mainly takes
care of the eggs,larvey or fry.If an overwhelming predator appears both
partners will collect as many fry as they can in their mouth and move them
out of the dangerzone.Therefore only the fry that the parents are able to
collect will survive in the wild.There are of course a few graduations
between these extremes.In any case has the behavior under such husbandry
more diversity and is closer to the wild behavior than single pair keeping.
Plus another aspekt of the husbandry with enemy fish is the avoidance of
mass reproduction.Only pairs that have the biological behavorial adaption
potential will have reproduction success.End of translation, M.W.  slab me
if I made to many mistakes.
Very happy to have two weeks old A.nijsseni fry .
Max Galladè



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