# apistogramma, multiple males, or just a pair?



## wagz (Dec 20, 2012)

have a 75 gallon heavily planted tank. Currently have lf zebra danios, sterbai cory's, zebra otos, threadfin and celebes rainbows, Marble hatchets, and some blue eye forktail (furcata) rainbows, still small. I recently purchased 2 german blue rams. Think they are both males. A little chasing, nothing lethal. Anyway my lfs has just gotten in some apistogramma: cacatuoides, agassizii double red, and trifasciata blue. Questions are will there be issues with my other fish? Also, not interested in breeding at this point. googling, it is unclear weather I would be better off with a pair, or two males of a different species that don't look like each other. Maybe a cockatoo and an agassizii. lot of sites recommend pairs or 1 to 2, m'/f. trying to avoid agreesion of breeding female spawning. thinking of getting just males, some say males will just fight another male and won't show much color without female. So mixed comments. Pair is better, but then a breeding female is hostile. Males will fight, but some say all males of different kinds will work and still show color to stake their territory. Looking for the least aggression to each other and other tank mates, and maximizing viewing. Some say don't wast tank space on duller females if not going to breed. Any advice.


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## regani (Feb 13, 2011)

wagz said:


> ... some say all males of different kinds will work and still show color to stake their territory. ... Some say don't wast tank space on duller females if not going to breed. Any advice.


I'd agree with the statements quoted above. single males of the three species you mentioned (agassizii, cacatuoides, trifasciata) will be ok together. they will still display and show colors when defending territory against other fish. with your size tank there should be no problems with aggression leading to serious injury


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## BelieveInBlue (Jul 17, 2011)

I've never tried mixing males of different species, though, given adequate space, I doubt any problems will arise. I highly suggest keeping females with the males, even if you're not looking to spawn. males show the best colours when courting and displaying to females, and the interactions between the sexes can be quite entertaining.


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## regani (Feb 13, 2011)

It's a common misconception that males will only show good colors when they are displaying to females. they will still flare and display to defend their territories to other fish, especially fish that occupy the same tank spaces, and will develop and show good coloration. I have males of trifasciata, alpahuayo (formerly sp. Schwarzkinn), and macmasteri in a 4ft display together with tetras, angels and cories. the males show very nice color and a fairly wide range of behaviors. the color are not really much different to the breeding pairs I have/had.
keeping pairs in a community tank always carries the risk of trouble. some females can go really bonkers when they have fry and decide that every other fish is a thread. I have seen females chase and kill other fish in 3ft and 4ft tanks. doesn't happen very often in large tanks, but it still can. if you don't want to breed them, there is no need to have pairs imo as the males show better coloration and finnage anyways (with the exception of the female in breeding dress, maybe). if you want to breed them you are better off with a dedicated species tank.


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## Chromedome52 (Jul 25, 2009)

I would agree that if you are after display, multiple males are better than using females. The best photo I ever got of a male Apisto was a _bitaeniata_ male displaying to another male. In some species, the males actually fold down their fins around females, as if to say, Hey, I don't want to hurt you, I want something else!


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