APISTOGRAMMA AND OTHER NEW WORLD DWARF CICHLIDS

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
I don’t want to rephrase / rewrite what I’ve already said. I do appreciate your concerns, but I also would say that yes, you are laboring under some misconceptions.

I can tell by the way you phrase yourself that you are an experienced / successful keeper- you can stop reading here if you want.- nothing that follows may be of any use for you.- as we all have or systems….

that said it sounds like you don’t consider where a fish is from/ what that place is like. South American cichlids aren’t all tropical first of all. Trifasciata have a huge range that runs from equatorial to subtropical- ie Yucatán peninsula Mexico- but South America…. 25 degrees south or so. These are from southern Brazil in the border of Paraguay. 22-25 degrees south or so

brasiliensis “pearl cichlid” - the same thing- but nowhere would they be in cold water year round…. These ones seee 90 plus in the summer and sub 50 in the winter. Where they are collected. Mine are from Uruguay laguna molle. 32 degrees south or so.

All these subtropical to temperate fish experience real seasons. Fish found in igarapes, arroyos, and big flat lagunas (apistogramma, these bras, these gymnos)
experience significant daily temperature swings, in addition to varying in significance- seasonal temperature swings- where they are collected.

the dither fish were selected for there ability to enjoy whatever temp the tris give me good ratios….And because they are fry they dont act up and whip the tris

and because I breed All these fish- I’m pretty well dialed in on protocol that is at least effective enough to always have fry to ship/ or feed to big fish.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: jake37
Thanks for the comments. You clearly have more experience with these species and probably in general.

I don’t want to rephrase / rewrite what I’ve already said. I do appreciate your concerns, but I also would say that yes, you are laboring under some misconceptions.

I can tell by the way you phrase yourself that you are an experienced / successful keeper- you can stop reading here if you want.- nothing that follows may be of any use for you.- as we all have or systems….

that said it sounds like you don’t consider where a fish is from/ what that place is like. South American cichlids aren’t all tropical first of all. Trifasciata have a huge range that runs from equatorial to subtropical- ie Yucatán peninsula Mexico- but South America…. 25 degrees south or so. These are from southern Brazil in the border of Paraguay. 22-25 degrees south or so

brasiliensis “pearl cichlid” - the same thing- but nowhere would they be in cold water year round…. These ones seee 90 plus in the summer and sub 50 in the winter. Where they are collected. Mine are from Uruguay laguna molle. 32 degrees south or so.

All these subtropical to temperate fish experience real seasons. Fish found in igarapes, arroyos, and big flat lagunas (apistogramma, these bras, these gymnos)
experience significant daily temperature swings, in addition to varying in significance- seasonal temperature swings- where they are collected.

the dither fish were selected for there ability to enjoy whatever temp the tris give me good ratios….And because they are fry they dont act up and whip the tris

and because I breed All these fish- I’m pretty well dialed in on protocol that is at least effective enough to always have fry to ship/ or feed to big fish.
 
  • Like
Reactions: C. Breeze
A. sp Blutkehl; sadly i have no clue where it was caught or native habitat but i do give them nice clean water:
male:
a_lineta.jpg
female:
m.jpg
--
their home (which is probably nothing like their native home):
lineta_tank.jpg
(more concern that i have their temp correct which i doubt since they were sold as a. lineta which i believe is a near equator fish)
--
 
A. sp Blutkehl; sadly i have no clue where it was caught or native habitat but i do give them nice clean water:
male:
View attachment 1549900
female:
View attachment 1549901
--
their home (which is probably nothing like their native home):
View attachment 1549902
(more concern that i have their temp correct which i doubt since they were sold as a. lineta which i believe is a near equator fish)
--
Beautiful fish!
Tom's site has Blutkehl listed as a fish primarily from the Rio Atabapo, lower Inirida, and parts of the lower Guaviare- so likely rather warm, slower-moving blackwater. Think your setup looks rather nice- planted tanks, despite being rather unorthodox, aren't in poor taste IMO. Seems to have plenty of cover, and uaupesi-types aren't too picky, anyhow.
 
Beautiful fish!
Tom's site has Blutkehl listed as a fish primarily from the Rio Atabapo, lower Inirida, and parts of the lower Guaviare- so likely rather warm, slower-moving blackwater. Think your setup looks rather nice- planted tanks, despite being rather unorthodox, aren't in poor taste IMO. Seems to have plenty of cover, and uaupesi-types aren't too picky, anyhow.
Yes they are well behaved; they don't exactly hide like the wolli everytime i walk next to the aquarium but they don't sit there and beg like the a. winkelfleck and expect the food dropped in their mouth; that middle point. I keep them around 79-80 range i was concern after reading up on some of the rivers if they should be closer to 82 or so - in theory i will get true a. lineata by late october. My understanding is they are very similar with a bit more colour.

One huge learning experience for me is just how well some plants do in blackwater conditions. It makes me realize that all this fertilizer we feed them is probably just a waste. Of course there are species that do require harder water and are more nutrient demanding but they tend to wither and die in blackwater.
 
MonsterFishKeepers.com