Which Apisto?

[Incredulous_Ed]

I'm thinking about getting a pair of apistos. Which do you suggest? I am planning on breeding them, and they will go into a 20gal long. I am looking for a coloful easy to breed one. Also, should I get more than one pair?

Thanks

[Incredulous_Ed]

B-b-b-bump. Anyone have experience with apistogrammas?

[Fishalicious]

What's your PH?

Let's see easy beginner Apisto that breeds easy:

Apistogramma Cacatouides - come in many color variations
Apistogramma Borelli - also has a nice Opal version
Apistogramma Hongsloi
Apistogramma Macmasteri
& Apistogramma Papagei

The above are all more of the 'nicer' in nature Apisto's and can be kept in PH - 6.5 - 7 - The Cacatouides and Borreli even above 7 as long as it is not too high.

I always recommend the Cacatouides for first time Apisto keepers to get a good feel of what Apisto's are about - they come in Wild color, Orange Flash, Double Red and Triple Red colors. They are nice and hardy and not too fussy or aggressive as some of the others.

[Lady Hobbs]

Oh Man, the Apisto's are wayyyyy cool.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/profiles/results.php?genus=9

http://www.thekrib.com/Apisto/

Glad Fishalicious gave you some species because I love them all. It would be nice if you could have a bunch of them. It would be nice if I COULD HAVE A BUNCH OF THEM. LOL

[Incredulous_Ed]

What's your PH?

Let's see easy beginner Apisto that breeds easy:

Apistogramma Cacatouides - come in many color variations
Apistogramma Borelli - also has a nice Opal version
Apistogramma Hongsloi
Apistogramma Macmasteri
& Apistogramma Papagei

The above are all more of the 'nicer' in nature Apisto's and can be kept in PH - 6.5 - 7 - The Cacatouides and Borreli even above 7 as long as it is not too high.

I always recommend the Cacatouides for first time Apisto keepers to get a good feel of what Apisto's are about - they come in Wild color, Orange Flash, Double Red and Triple Red colors. They are nice and hardy and not too fussy or aggressive as some of the others.

Out of the tap, it's like 7.6-8. With driftwood and co2, it goes down to 7.2. When the peat starts releasing tannins, it will probably go lower.

I think I will probably go with the cactatuoides red flash. How many pairs can be kept in a 20long?

[country_boy454]

I like apistos coloring. They are a nice looking fish.

[Fishalicious]

I love Apistos - been keeping and breeding them for more than 10 years now :malelovies: :malelovies:

With a PH of 7.2 and slightly lower I would stick to the Cacatouides or Borelli... they both breed easier in this PH the others would need lower..the above are all the easiest ones I have kept.

I wouldn't keep more than a harem in a 20G - so 1 male and 2 females - lot's of little ceramic caves (mine like the tiny little flowerpots aqua plants come in) and half coconuts are their fave for breeding in here.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Thanks. Could I get away with keeping only 1 male and 1 female?

[Fishalicious]

In Cacatouides a couple is fine as well xxx

[Incredulous_Ed]

Thanks Jess :)

[Incredulous_Ed]

Ok, here's another question: would it be okay to have a large school of tiger barbs with the apistos? What about cories?

[Fishalicious]

If you are serious about breeding with them I would stick to Nannostomus types as they will not touch the fry - they are the perfect dither fish for Apisto's. Tiger Barbs will try to eat the fry all the time... Corydoras are ok usually but can get picked on a little from Apisto's when they have a spawn.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Alright cool. What about hatchet fish? Thanks again!

[Incredulous_Ed]

It's so hard to decide! which one would you go for??

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwapisto&1201356913

OR

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwapisto&1201357230

[spudbuds]

I know nothing about apistos, but I think the 2nd one has the better coloration.

[Lady Hobbs]

That guy has hundreds of Apiso's. But I would check at your local LFS and see what they have. Paying shipping on live fish to only get two is a bit pricey.

[Fishalicious]

It's so hard to decide! which one would you go for??

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwapisto&1201356913

OR

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwapisto&1201357230

The Borelli has a beautiful body...
The Cacatouides Triple Red is not a very nice one... the markings are not all the way through to his upper top fins... in a nice specimen the black marble markings go all the way through to the front also I would call this a double red and not a triple red...in a triple red all 3 fins have red/black marbling his fin at the back bottom doesn't!!! But his body has nice proportions.

Did you know when you breed with the Triple Red you can have a big mix of young ranging from Red Flash - double red and triple red. A lot has to do with the mum as well and her markings as well as the parents.

A double red with markings all the way to the front:
http://www.dwergcichlide.nl/apistogramma_cacatuoides_do.jpg

[Spyder]

Ed, Just my experiences. Dave Soures is a great generous person but...I ordered a bunch of Apistos from him a few months ago and my experience was not very good. He sent me numerous wrong species and wrong counts. I paid to have shipping as Express, he sent Priority! The fish were very healthy but not what I ordered. I would suggest:
http://twofishguyz.com/shop/index.cfm?action=DisplayMain
Very professional with great quality.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Ed, Just my experiences. Dave Soures is a great generous person but...I ordered a bunch of Apistos from him a few months ago and my experience was not very good. He sent me numerous wrong species and wrong counts. I paid to have shipping as Express, he sent Priority! The fish were very healthy but not what I ordered. I would suggest:
http://twofishguyz.com/shop/index.cfm?action=DisplayMain
Very professional with great quality.
Thank you everyone!! Michael, did you order through aquabid, or just by email?


I called one of the LFS; around here, and they have a piar of Borellis. 30$ per fish!! I would be saving omeny ordering online.

[Spyder]

I called him for the order, I did not use abuabid. Apistos sell around here for $30.00 a pair, $30.00 a fish is insane!

[Incredulous_Ed]

I called him for the order, I did not use abuabid. Apistos sell around here for $30.00 a pair, $30.00 a fish is insane!
Yep. They sell larger geophagines for 30 dollars a fish too!

[Incredulous_Ed]

How dos this one look?

http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwapisto&1201356946

I'm still decide between that and the borelli.

[Fishalicious]

He is beautiful!!!! I hope he sends the exact fish that is on the picture and not one from the brood because this one is a beauty! Great coloring - even shaped body - perfect for breeding. He is stil youngish so has some growing to do but he is ready to breed.

I know this seller has gotten his Apisto's mixed up in the past (hard for me to imagine) but even he cannot mix a cacatouides or borelli up with another one - they both are Apisto's that strongly differ in appearance to others which can look very similar.

I cannot get over the prices of fish in the US - glad I live here - although I guess if you are breeding it is a good thing - you can make more bucks when selling ...

[Incredulous_Ed]

Wwell, these fish ar enot "what you see is waht you get." I think he just shows a pic of the best looking one.

[Spyder]

For sure...that is just a pic he uses, not the actual fish. I like the Borellis better but I find the Cockatoos hardier and easier the spawn.

[Incredulous_Ed]

AAAH!!! which one to choose??!?!?!?! If it isnt WYSIWYG, then I migt go with the cacatuoides triple red, but then the orange flash is a nicer specimen, and i like the borelli too! What do you guys think?

[Incredulous_Ed]

OK well, a bunh of responses have been deleted, so I'll ask again. Borelli or cacatuoids?

Does the borelli (http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwapisto&1201356913)
look like a good specimen?

Im still deciding between that and and the orange flash (http://www.aquabid.com/cgi-bin/auction/auction.cgi?fwapisto&1201356946).

[Spyder]

I have some Borellis from Dave and they are stunning. The quality of all his fish is top notch.

[Incredulous_Ed]

Ok thank you sooo much Michael and Jess. After much coin flipping, I will be ordering the borelli tonight. Thanks.

[Spyder]

Something I forgot to mention about Dave Soures, expect to get juveniles, he sells his fish as barely sexable, very small, so be ready.

[Fishalicious]

Either one is beautiful....

My preference goes slightly more towards the Cacatouides as I find their character more interesting and they are less shy... nearly all my cacatouides have always been handtame ...

The Borelli is a bit more shy and not as much 'present'

As I said before though they are both fantastic beginner Apisto's and either one you will fall in love with once you have them...

[Incredulous_Ed]

Thank you all! I ended up ordering a trio of the borellii. Any tips on keeping them?