# Apistogramma Cacatouides tankmates HELP!!!



## drackid (Mar 24, 2018)

Hey everyone

In a tank that is 90-125 gallons stocked with

Colony of Cherry shrimp
Guppies and fry
Platies and fry
Colony of Daphnia
x5 Kuhli Loaches
x5 Dwarf Cories

Well planted with driftwood and hiding spots

I would like to have apistos as kind of a population control for all the guppy, platy, cherry shrimp fry.

But i want something else with them and i was lookin for dwarf cichlids....
Would a pair of ribs work with a pair of apistos

Or what else as a mildly predatory fish could i add. I don't mind losing the apistos, i just like how they looked and they seem to be the calmest

So what can i have as predatory fish (maybe with apistos) to keep control on all the breeding fish?


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## TheMick (Jan 24, 2018)

What about an Amazon Puffer or a Spotted Congo Puffer? Could be a little iffy with a Puffer but those two are typically a little more community friendly. They'll probably eat some shrimp on occasion but if there is plenty of cover and you feed the Puffer well they'll typically leave the shrimp alone...mostly. Just trying to think of something a little different. On a side note I have seen some issues with Corys and Apistos before but you may have enough room to prevent that with this size tank.


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## Cyphro (Mar 23, 2018)

Puffer will run through the whole tank in no time. Your shrimp are not going to survive any cichlids I can think of besides the apistos. Assuming the apistos don't eat all the shrimp.

Badis will predate the shrimp but probably not eat the whole lot any time soon.


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## drackid (Mar 24, 2018)

I do not have the aquarium yet but that was my base idea... So i don't mind leaving the cories

Anyone have other ideas?


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## nodima (Oct 3, 2002)

Moved to South American, as Apisto's are not African Cichlids.


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## drackid (Mar 24, 2018)

Ok thank you! Anyone have any ideas?


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## drackid (Mar 24, 2018)

Would apistos live well with rams? or maybe even angels


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

I think rams and Apistos, or Apistos and kribs is fine in either tank size. 48x18 or 72x18. Shrimp may be on the menu, and cories possibly disruptive, but this sounds like a display aquarium. Enjoy


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> Apistos and kribs is fine in either tank size.


I dunno about that.
I'd imagine enough people would have tried that mix, but I've never personally seen it. In the very least, over the long term, I would expect kribs would probably prevent Apistos from holding territory and thus being able to spawn successfully.
I've kept rams and at least a couple different types of apistos in the past. Never mixed them for any length of time with other cichlids because there really not capable of defending themselves against much. Kribs are quite the opposite. Kept them with anything and everything in cichlid grow up tanks, and are generally quite capable against any thing of similar size (and sometimes against larger).
If i were to set up a tank and mix kribs with CA/SA, I would mix them with something larger, and a little tougher. Maybe angelfish or blue acaras or rainbow cichlids. These are all fish i would have mixed with kribs at one time or another . As far as dwarf SA, i would suppose a dwarf pike or dwarf Acara would possibly be a better match (?).


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## drackid (Mar 24, 2018)

What are SA?

And let's say i forget about the kribs, would bolivian rams work with apistos?


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## BC in SK (Aug 11, 2012)

drackid said:


> What are SA?


SA = South American


drackid said:


> would bolivian rams work with apistos?


Sure. Not likely to encounter any problems with that.


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## BratmanXj (Feb 11, 2013)

I'm running a 75g SA tank and have a somewhat similar stocking...
1m-4f Apisto Cacatuoides
9 Panda Cory
4 Kuhli Loaches
8 Penguin Tetras

I recently added 5 adult Peacock Gudgeons (on a whim with the loaches at my less O.C.D. buddy cause they looked cool, I wanted all S.A.) and they take up the middle water column where the Apisto's stay low. I also have 5 juvenile Dicrossus Filamentosus Checkerboard Cichlids going into the tank once out of quarantine. They seem to be a harder cichlid to locate, but personalities mix well with Apistos


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## drackid (Mar 24, 2018)

Wow i really like those peacock gudgeons!

With this stocking would it work?

Cherry shrimp colony
1:3 mf guppies
1:3 mf platies
5 kuhli loaches 
2 Apistogramma (pair) which ones are the easiest to keep?
2 Bolivian Rams (pair)
6 Leopard Danios
6 Harlequin Rasboras

How many peacock gudgeons would i be able to possibly add?

All of this in a 90 gallon


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## drackid (Mar 24, 2018)

Also, i don't have any of the fish on top but that was just my idea, so i don't mind removing and replacing the fish.

I also know that the cichlids might be agressive with the guppies, platies, cherry shrimp but they would be there kind of like a population control.. So would it all work?


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## BratmanXj (Feb 11, 2013)

drackid said:


> Cherry shrimp colony
> 1:3 mf guppies
> 1:3 mf platies
> 5 kuhli loaches
> ...


Issue #1....Rams require 80+ deg water temps, where as most of the other fish would be mid-70s. While I know stories of people keeping rams at cooler temps, I've never been able to get longevity out of Rams or Discus at cooler temps.

#2...both Guppies & Platties would be top-water fish. So your second post is a non-issue. 
Danios & Rasboras would be mid-water. 
Depending on how you setup the tank the Gudgeons would be mid-water or bottom fish, same as Apistos & Rams.

#3...Unless wild caught, most Apisto's have the same disposition. The breeder I got my Apisto Cacat's from has 1m - 3f in a 20 high with a lot of clay pots & floating plants. I haven't seen mine chase anything in my 75g.

#4...When stocking it all depends on M/F ratios and adult or juvenile. I think you're under-stocking your cichlids, and would start with 5 of each and pull any if a Male-Male confrontation arises. I have a lot of rock caves, driftwood & plants as well as a 3D background so the fish have sight breaks and spots to go hide.


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## drackid (Mar 24, 2018)

What other cichlids can live with a pair of bolivian rams and apisto cac.? (dwarf cichlid)


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## BratmanXj (Feb 11, 2013)

Dicrossus species, some dwarf pike species, Angels are hit-of-miss


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## drackid (Mar 24, 2018)

Would i be able to add a pair of macmasteri to that set up or no?

Should i just add another female cac?


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

BC in SK said:


> Iggy Newcastle said:
> 
> 
> > Apistos and kribs is fine in either tank size.
> ...


Thanks BC. Good points.


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## drackid (Mar 24, 2018)

Anyone there?


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## drackid (Mar 24, 2018)

Any words on australian rainbowfish?

I heard they are difficult to feed. is that true?


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

I've had great results with Australian Rainbowfish eating well, they accepted flake, NLS pellet up to 1mm, Repashy gel mixes, blackworms and pretty much anything I tried.

I do NOT know if they will do well with your fish as I have no personal experience with them.


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## drackid (Mar 24, 2018)

Which fish are trouble worthy in my stocking list (that wouldn't work with rainbows, i wouldn't mind them eating shrimp because i would add the rainbows after the shrimp grow significantly in population size!j


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