Japes' 2010 Eartheater Work/Photolog

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
i like the new biotope for the 3x18x18 and the plans for the 6x2x2 sound great, this thread has inspired me to try my hand at a biotope, although i doubt it will end up as nice as yours
 
Just keep an eye on the port cichlids japes ... normally they only squabble with each other or similiar shaped cichlids (the acaras for instance), they do have the means to tear into your eartheaters. I don't think it's likely, but a rogue one could deffinately do some damage in that tank.
 
i love the black-chins, prolly my favorite sp. i've been admiring apistos alot more lately. i recently planted my apisto tank but i love the branchy wood and leaves on the bottom look. i added some angels and they give a nice look to the top of the tank. i may have to change over to something a little more bio-type-ish. do you collect your own wood? also what light are you using over your apisto tank?
 
darth pike;4151452; said:
Just keep an eye on the port cichlids japes ... normally they only squabble with each other or similiar shaped cichlids (the acaras for instance), they do have the means to tear into your eartheaters. I don't think it's likely, but a rogue one could deffinately do some damage in that tank.

Thanks for the heads up. Maybe I'm wrong, but are we talking about different fish? Very visually similar, as are most Acara, but Cichlasoma amazonarum are noteably smaller than fully grown C. portalegrense, which I've seen specimens around 20cm TL (compared to the 14cm). Ultimately I'd like Laetacara thayeri, but they would need to be smuggled into the country as L. curviceps for me to ever have any access to them.

Might just pass on them until I can get some solid experience-based information.
 
I use ports as a common name for all Cichlasoma as a group, sort of like Texas for the Herichthys group or convicts for the whole group (Archocentrus/Cryptoheros/Amatitlania) ... or geo for the Geophagine tribe as a whole ... kind of like group common names. Sorry for the confusion.

I'd deffinately warn against the L. thayeri, but I had a rogue male than killed everything in the tank. Peathenster's took out a few before settling down as a pair if I remember right. I might try them again, becuase I read everyone's is so calm but ...

As for the amazonarum, I don't think there would be a problem. I just know they can be peckish ... which if it stays "inhouse" sort to speak with their own kind, that's fine. I would mix the northern ports with the larger Geophagus without a second thought, but Satanoperca aren't as good at defending themselves as a equal sized G. altifrons would be. Hence the caution.
 
Not looking to have any conflict at all, I presume conspecifics would be the main concern for both groups of Cichlids. Wondering whether A. gephrya would be a suitable option, but I'm concerned about the females with the larger male leucosticta.
 
I can't say about the apistos ... that's one group of SA I've yet to try. Though given how much both you and Peter (both Peathenster and the Aussie Peter) seem to like them, I might be giving them a shot soon. A LFS has both blue agassizi and norberti in ... very tempting.
 
I'm still not hugely knowledgable about the range of Apistogramma, particularly due to the vast number of them. Blue Agassizii sound like Gephyra though, the girls stay quite small though, say 2" TL.

They would be found in drainages though, whereas the leucosticta would be in the greater basins and tributaries, so I'll pass.
 
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