I'm APISTO obsessed!

[VickiK]

Cory got some triple reds the other day on one of his unboxing vids and I about peed myself.

Talk me off the edge. What's so great about Apistos? What isn't? I went through a German Blue Ram period --- I'm over that now. (tired of cooking the rest of the tank mates in that 80 degree water) Apisto thoughts?
I'm in love with this little nano creature!

@Joel - I was looking at an Oscar at PETCO (of all places) VERY VERY lovingly and it was as if the hand of God came down and slapped me.... one of my dog's started to think about peeing on a holiday display...we left. lol

 

[clownie]

80 degrees for german blue rams?? I keep mine in the low to mid 70's with no problems, actually i keep my whole fish room at that temp.

 

[Joel]

Cory got some triple reds the other day on one of his unboxing vids and I about peed myself.

Talk me off the edge. What's so great about Apistos? What isn't? I went through a German Blue Ram period --- I'm over that now. (tired of cooking the rest of the tank mates in that 80 degree water) Apisto thoughts?
I'm in love with this little nano creature!

@Joel - I was looking at an Oscar at PETCO (of all places) VERY VERY lovingly and it was as if the hand of God came down and slapped me.... one of my dog's started to think about peeing on a holiday display...we left. lol

The dog saw what was going on! Smart dog

 

[FishBeast]

I've never kept them but they are beautiful!

 

[dwarfpike]

Only 80F? Yikes, that's cool for blue rams.

Luckily most apistos (except those few species found with blue rams) don't like those higher temps, so that shouldn't be an issue for you.

 

[VickiK]

80 degrees for german blue rams?? I keep mine in the low to mid 70's with no problems, actually i keep my whole fish room at that temp.

Hmmm. That's what all the Ram Folks told me to do!

For the record, Clownie, you have your own genius! (that works for you)

 

[VickiK]

Only 80F? Yikes, that's cool for blue rams.

Luckily most apistos (except those few species found with blue rams) don't like those higher temps, so that shouldn't be an issue for you.

You are what I hear the most about Ram temps.

 

[VickiK]

I was hoping for some fun Apisto stories......*sigh* I guess I can always go and rewatch all the Apisto vids on YouTube. There's plenty of them. Rachel O'Leary seems to have an affinity for them. I have a 10g that's only got one African Dwarf Frog in it (and a small female endler that I cannot catch) but it's a red tank with red and crushed coral substrate. Not the most appealing when showcasing such a pretty little fish. I guess I could put new substrate in....

*talks herself into going down to the Co-Op on Black Friday for Apistos...*

 

[dwarfpike]

I don't have any myself, but have been told by two different large cichlid keepers that both of their favorite tanks were actually 125 gallons full of an apisto colony for what it's worth.

I'll try them myself firsthand sometime in the next year or two.

 

[sir_keith]

I was hoping for some fun Apisto stories....

Many years ago, just before the 'African Cichlid Invasion,' I kept Apisto's (Rams were still in that genus back then!). I was in graduate school, and didn't have the time or the space for lots of tanks and fishes, so I kept 6 or 7 small species tanks with Apisto's. My favorite was a tiny 5-gallon tank with two breeding pairs of German Blue Rams, each with a territory about the size of a small saucer. But the coolest thing about this setup was that both pairs spawned synchronously, each and every time. It was fun to watch! Raised lots of fry from that tiny little setup, and had no trouble selling them locally.

Shortly thereafter, Haplochromis burtoni (as it was called at the time) arrived, and then Pseudotropheus auratus (ditto)... I still haven't recovered!

 

[lloyd378]

I bought some apistos from Cory at aquarium co-op maybe 2-3 years ago or whenever it first opened.... absolutely love them, but back then my 75 gallon was too large for the five I bought.... I didn’t enjoy searching for all the time so I sold them and went back to my large Central American cichlids . When I’m done raising fry in my daughters 40b tank, maybe I’ll try some again. I loved the ones that looked like little pandas and also the triple reds and the orange ones too

 

[lloyd378]

Let me look for some old pics

 

[lloyd378]

Here are some.... a bit blurry but probably taken with my IPhone 5 haha

Again, these were all from Cory and the last pic with the one that I thought looked like a panda was my favorite

 

[VickiK]

I don't have any myself, but have been told by two different large cichlid keepers that both of their favorite tanks were actually 125 gallons full of an apisto colony for what it's worth.

I'll try them myself firsthand sometime in the next year or two.

I love the idea! Big time!
But I gotta guy (right this minute) giving me the Red Texas Evil Eye that says any 125 gallon tank that comes in here will have his big butt in it.

 

[VickiK]

Many years ago, just before the 'African Cichlid Invasion,' I kept Apisto's (Rams were still in that genus back then!). I was in graduate school, and didn't have the time or the space for lots of tanks and fishes, so I kept 6 or 7 small species tanks with Apisto's. My favorite was a tiny 5-gallon tank with two breeding pairs of German Blue Rams, each with a territory about the size of a small saucer. But the coolest thing about this setup was that both pairs spawned synchronously, each and every time. It was fun to watch! Raised lots of fry from that tiny little setup, and had no trouble selling them locally.

Shortly thereafter, Haplochromis burtoni (as it was called at the time) arrived, and then Pseudotropheus auratus (ditto)... I still haven't recovered!

5000 LIKES!!!

I had to look up those names though. lol I got a little schoolin' today, thank you.

I love how one website called Haplochromis burtoni " mildly aggressive. lol Both are gorgeous fish.

 

[VickiK]

Here are some.... a bit blurry but probably taken with my IPhone 5 hahaView attachment 4499View attachment 4500View attachment 4501View attachment 4502View attachment 4503View attachment 4504

Again, these were all from Cory and the last pic with the one that I thought looked like a panda was my favorite

That Triple

Red Finned Awesomeness is my (current) dream fish. They're all my dream fish, aren't they? LOL

IPhone 5! That's an antique!

 

[lloyd378]

Here is my current baby.... a wonderful pure trimac! I know I know, not an apisto. Haha, but just figured I share as he’s new today

 

[VickiK]

@lloyd378 - ha ha Not an apisto but definitely a looker! I love his little tear drop tattoo. Does that mean he's been in the joint? lol I'm funny only to myself. I know this.

 

[VickiK]

Apisto update! One "female" (could go either way when they are small) from the original trio died right away. Water prams were spot on, tank was cycled, etc. The pair left are in there thriving and growing today. I went back and got another "female" and the other two picked on her until I had to move her to a 55 community tank. She had found a little cave like niche in the planted tank to hide in, she was eating, swimming about in her own little area and I thought all was well. A week later, she's dead. Like I said, the original pair ( apistogramma agassizii fire red) seem to be thriving. One is ginormous while the other one has stayed much smaller so I presume I have a pair. They don't bicker. And they are super engaging. The minute they see me coming their way, they're all swimming and begging for chow.
They've been fun. I hope they breed! I got caves, indian almond leaves in there....

 

[clownie]

I LOVE the fire reds!!!