Apisto planted tank suggestions

[oskastolz]

Hi all

I am in the process of setting up a dedicated apisto tank - (thanks to a visit from the infamous wickedglass), I originally was going to have a mixed community tank....all is cool tho as I am addicted to apisto's already

It is a 4 foot tank which has at present a male & female veijita and 3 juvenile inka 50's.

I just want to sound out people for planting options given the low ph and moderate temp. requirements of apisto's - it has some large driftwood - was thinking anubias, amazon swords, val and ambulia, but have used these guys in my 3 footer and am looking for a bit of variety

Thanks for your time

Oska

[Robdog]

Good idea man. Can't wait to see some pics when you get started.
The anubias, swords and val combo is a pretty good one but i'd scrap the ambulia. I've never kept it myself due to a friends constant failed attempts at keeping it. It always fell apart and looked like rubbish most of the time. Others have probably had success with it so don't rule it out on my account.

As far as combining the two species you should be fine as they are both from different complexes, viejita from macmasteri and baenschi from nijsseni. Whilst I'm not sure if this is a golden rule it has worked for me in the past. I have some aggies that only pick on an elizabethae female whereas they leave the panduro alone being from a different complex. Thats my theory anyway.

Keep us updated.

[oskastolz]

Will post some pics shortly, I was also thinking about adding a D. filamentosus and a coupla german bred blue rams..............

What ye thinketh, a bit much (not in terms of fish size or tank volume) aggression wise???

Meanwhile my A. cac spawn is progressing well - I have about 20 fry swimming away in an isloation (baby) tank, 5 days old now

Oska

[Th0mas]

Hey Rob,

It's intelligent of the aggie that leaves the panduro alone as the panduro is known to be agressive and take on anything doubling their size.

The only caution about mixing fish in the same complex is potential of crosses. It is very difficult to seperate veijita and macmasteri, and these two species are known to produce crosses in the past. Be careful.

Thomas.

[parkap]

Hi Oska,

I've tried many plants over the years to see a) what I like and what looks good; and b) what's easiest to grow.

My recommendations for plants are:

- Lot of crypts. I especially like the one that's a bit redder with longer and slightly crinkled leaves. I think it's wendtii. However most LFS's just get there's from the wholesalers in mixed groups. Crypts provide great ground cover and can be planted quite close together for that dense look. They're also great for areas of less light, like around wood and structures.

- Anubias barteri is great for very low lighted areas. I've got quite a few sub-adult specimens growing under wood, behind rocks and in other shadowed areas.

- I'm a big fan of baby tears (Micranthemum micranthemoides). It's actually an Australian native, or so I've been told. Have been informed there's creeks up the central coast way of NSW that are teeming with it and you just have to go and pick as much as you like. It's very easy to grow and propogate. So from a couple of good bunches you can end up with a good size garden in no time.

- Another favourite because it's soooo easy to grow and gets very thick and lush is Wisteria (Hygrophila difformis). It can look messy very easily, but you don't even have to trim it, just bend it back into itself and it looks even more lush and dense. I found my Inka's and apistogrammoides loved hanging out in there.

- I also like java ferns (Microsorum pteropus). Like wisteria this plant gets a lot of upturned noses at it b/c it's easy to grow and quite common. But it's great on wood, easy to grow and looks great as it gains size.

- I also like the look of Microsorum pteropus 'Windeløv'. It's a man-made java fern variety. Kind of looks like it's got tassles on the end of it's leaves.

- Sword plants (Echinodorus var.) are also great I find for building up lush areas and ground cover and provide a great contrast to the crypts. There's lots of varieties. I've got one type which I just love and propogates by sending up a stem that gets baby plants growing off it. Again, easy to propgate and expand the number you have for a lush look. Unfortunately I don't know the actual name of it. It grows to about 10cm high and gets quite thik. It could be something like Echinodorus Rubin.

Others to consider:
- Red or green lotus lilies. Great feature plants. I can never can mine to grow good though.
- Milfoil. I love the look of milfoil. But I always had problems with keeping the cuttings in the gravel so it became annoying. An alternative to milfoil is Foxtail.
- Green temple (Nomaphila stricta). I've got some growing now in my tank and it makes for a great looking, lush area.
- Hygro, I think it's Hygrophila polysperma. It's the stem variety anyway. Grows really quickly and has a nice light green colour. Great if you're on a budget.

Here's a picture of my tank, it's a 6x2x2. (I've posted this before but thought it ok to repost.)

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f71/parkap/IMG_5314_2.jpg

Regards,
Peter.

[oskastolz]

Cheers Peter, muchly appreciated.

I have seen this image of your tank elsewhere - it's awesome......

I bought some mixed crypts the other day- already my juvi inka's love hanging around in there, it provides good cover from the larger viejita pair I have in the tank.

Pretty much like all of those suggestions - I have had the same problem with milifoil, it looks great but in no time ends up floating around the top of the tank, so have ripped it out of my other tank.

I have recently subdivided my large amazon sword which has produced approx. 10 babies on 2 running shoots, but am inclined to remove the larger leaves and keep the overall size of them down a bit so I can have them in the foreground........

Do you use C02, which I am thinkingof but probably would prefer to avoid the hassle, but will go there if I have to...

Oska

[parkap]

Hi Oska,

Yes I've got CO2. Also have about 300 watts of lighting of various brightness and intensity. Probably more light then I need with the plants I've ended up finally using but wanted the set up to be able to handle just about any plant I put in.

My first CO2 set up was a cheap job. Can't remember the brand but it's still around in a black coloured rectangular box, with a picture of some plants and the grey plastic fermenatation bottle on the front. Basically you put in some yeast and a fermenation agent, add sugar and warm water and let it ferment and produce CO2 for about 2 weeks. Then you have to rinse it out and reset it. Just found it too annoying to keep cleaning and refilling. But it did work pretty good for a cheap alternative. Much the same way as a lot of DIY 2ltr coke bottle jobs work.

I upgraded to an injection system using Sera and Dupla parts. If you were in the Sydney region I could refer you to an LFS who'd do you a good deal. I started off with a 500g bottle, but that wasn't lasting me too long either. I set it at around 1.5-2 bubbles/second. I didn't buy the automatic pH monitoring solanoid thing. I just have it hooked up to the light timer. I've now upgraded to a 2.5kg bottle and it's lasted me ages so far.

Plus, when I remember, I add in some liquid micro-nutrients and some iron supplements (liquid and some tablets for plants that need it more).

p.

[parkap]

BTW - I also use the JBL fertiliser balls around the rooted plants that need gravel fertilisaiton. They last about 12 months. Great for the lazy fishkeeper like me.

[oskastolz]

Thanks for the tip - have also heard the red sea Co2 is v. good - will investigate......

[wickedglass]

do some work, man, stop lazing about! ... maybe a spontaneous site visit? :P

[oskastolz]

yeah, trying to get the work car to head out for a viewing some where - will probably struggle today, but have a site visit in Windsor tomorrow so will head down to St Kilda aquarium.....

So between the forum and drawing up some elevations for this glass blower dude I know times are tough mate............

How's the inka's settling in bro....

[wickedglass]

hehe, glad to see you're keeping out of trouble :P

St Kilda aquarium is a nice place to visit, they have some nice dwarves, too, and beautifully set up tanks. They also get in fantastic quality golden rams from time to time. enjoy the site visit ;)

I'm up in diamo atm, working hard, as you can see :P ... so haven't seen any of my fish for a couple of days, but my gal is at the studio and apparently all is well.

[oskastolz]

cool..............will let you know how I go and if I score any more new fishies......actually wouldn't mind some golden rams....

You lookin for anything I shouold notify you of if I come across them - be reasonable now :wink:

[wickedglass]

if you find any Tahuantinsuyoa macantzatza .... ;)
actually I know where to get those ...
thanks though, but all my motels are booked out at the moment :)

[oskastolz]

errr......I was thinking floaties so that you can get in your 8 footer and play with yer fishies