Apistogramma and Dwarf Cichlids in the Aquarium

News

May 25, 2009
     You are never too young to fall in love with dwarf cichlids and many young people enjoy keeping and breeding them. However, for most, the thought that they might someday collect their own Apistogrammas in the wilds of the Amazon is only a dream.
     For one young hobbyist the dream became a reality and Hudson, from Manaus, Brazil has taken a great interest in dwarf cichlids at a young age. He has started his own blog and has recently put on a page describing his collecting trip to the Amazon river near the village of Itapeaçu. You can read the complete description of this and other collecting trips he has made at Hudson's World.

May 5, 2009
Tom Christofferson has added another great Apistogramma collecting article to his site.
Collecting in Pebas, Río Orosa and Río Shishita describes his successful October 2008 trip to collect new forms of Apistos. Tom has a number of great collecting stories and photos on his site so be sure to check it out.

April 10, 2009
I have always wanted to go on a fish collecting expedition but never have. I console myself by reading the accounts of others and have put together a page of resources about collecting dwarf cichlids. There are lots of stories of collecting trips along with a listing of expedition providers as well as some other interesting info. If you have ever wondered about a fish collecting trip check this page out!

April 9, 2009
I have updated the dwarf cichlids for sale page today. I have sold out of a lot of species but am offering special prices for priority mail shipments.

March 21, 2009
With warmer weather at hand I am beginning to plan for spring fish shipments. I have posted a list of the species I have available for shipment at Apistogramma and dwarf cichlids for sale

March 15, 2009
Updated the Book Reviews page today. There are some excellent books about dwarf cichlids and if you are seriously interested in these fish any of the books reviewed will be of interest.

Feb. 13, 2008
I have been getting a number of inquiries about my plans for spring fish shipping. I plan to begin selling and shipping in April. I have updated my dwarf cichlids for sale page and added a list of what I expect to have available.

Feb. 13, 2009
I updated the Internet sources for buying dwarf cichlids page today. There are a few new suppliers of dwarf cichlids that I have added.

Feb. 6, 2009
I added a new species page today. Apistogramma sp. "Abacaxis" is a spectacular but somewhat demanding fish that is rarely available but well worth the effort to acquire and keep.

Jan 10, 2009
   Apistogramma sp. "Steel Blue" is the first Apistogramma that many people acquire. They are commonly found in large corporate stores and they are quite attractive. However there are a lot of problems surrounding this Apisto. Check out the new Apistogramma sp. "Steel Blue" page for more info.

Lots of folks have asked me for specific recommendations for products that I use in my fish room. I have entered into an arrangement with Pet Mountain to be able to offer some of my favorite products to you. Check out the new Equipment and Supplies page for complete info.

   I love to collect aquarium books and I have found a great new source for adding to my collection. www.bookcloseouts.com offers closeout books at amazing prices. They have a good stock of aquarium titles that changes depending on availability check them out to find some quality books at great prices.

    For a great look at collecting Apistogrammas read Tom Christoffersen's story of The hunt for the true Apistogramma cruzi This is a fascinating tale of his search for a rarely if ever seen Apistogramma. that will give you a good idea of what it might be like to explore remote areas of the Amazon.

    Noted aquarium fish collector and author Heiko Bleher was arrested in Brazil and charged with illegally exporting preserved fish. Brazil has very strict laws concerning fish export and apparently authorities were targeting Bleher. He has been released more and is relating his story here and here
    If you like the site and are planning to buy a dwarf cichlid book or a magazine subscription please buy it through my links as I will make a few percent on the sale - Thanks!
    You can also help by posting links to this site in other sites you visit but please don't post a link directly to an enlarged photo just to the page it is found on.     As always, I welcome your comments so please

Contact Me

From the In-Box

Lowering pH?
March 21, 2009
Question: I set up a new tank nearly two months ago now. My PH 2 days after a water change is 8.0, a week after water change is 8.0. I can't get my PH below 8.0, what do I need to do? The tank has drift wood and a few plants, but I've been told that the wood or plants will not impact PH. I prefer not to use chemicals to alter PH, any suggestions? ?
    Answer: This is a very common problem for many people. Most likely your water has minerals in it that keep the pH at 8.0. This natural buffering capacity makes it hard to get the pH to stay lower. It is also possible that your substrate adds buffering capacity as well as any rocks you might have. Driftwood and plants will not raise pH. You can add chemicals but that will often only work for a short time until the pH rises again. I strongly suggest that you not try to use chemicals to solve your problem. Actually, a pH of 8.0 might allow you to succeed with many dwarf cichlids. Many tanks raised apistos can handle this as can many rams. I would suggest that you try starting with your regular water and see how the fish do. If they do not thrive then you can look at other alternatives. Here is a page with more info about good water for Apistogramma

Flake Food?
January 29, 2009
Question: What brand of flake food do you recommend?
    Answer: I don't feed flake food to my fish. I use so many floating plants that floating foods don't work for me. Instead I use sinking pellets to feed my Apistogrammas and other fish. If they worked for me I would not hesitate to feed flake as almost all of the flakes on the market today provide good balanced nutrition for your fish. Rather than brand I would focus on freshness and variety. Once you open the food it begins to lose quality. After 6 months it has lost a lot of the quality of new. My advice is buy small containers of food and use them as quick as possible. If you have old stale food throw it away and get fresh. You can read more about how I feed at Good Food and at Equipment.

January 15, 2009
Question:  How long do you leave Apistogramma parents in with their offspring? And if they spawn while the fry are still with them, do they become aggressive toward them?
    Answer: It is always a problem when you have a young healthy Apistogrammas that spawn on a regular schedule. Rarely will apistos tolerate older fry when new ones are brought out. Since the first fry are so small they are not ready to be on their own and try to come to the female. She sees them as a threat to the new fry and eats them.
I have seen females spawn repeatedly and always eat the existing fry when the new ones come out. Often she will continue to care for the first batch right up until she brings the new ones out at which time she immediately turns on the older ones.
   I don't think there is a special age at which the fry should be removed from the parents. Rather, it is a matter of behavior and independence. Once the fry start to spend significant time outside of the school it is OK to separate. The fry will probably be fine prior to that but when they are schooling they do not move around as much and can be harder to feed. I believe that fry grow faster with the female that without.
.

Ask A Question In-Box Archives

New Fish News

May 18, 2009 Laetacara araguaiae is now the correct name for the fish that the hobby has known as Laetacara sp. "bukelkopf" following its formal description by Felipe P. Ottoni & Wilson J. E. M. Costa. Along with their description of the pair also re described Laetacara dorsigera. Along with the clarification that this article provides, it also creates some confusion as the authors mention another species, L. minutacara, without any info as to what this species might be. We can only hope that this is another description that they have in progress.

November 23, 2008 Apistogramma erythrura is a newly described species that has been in the hobby for some time as Apistogramma sp. Mamore. This is a very attractive Apisto that is most closely related to Apistogramma trifasciata. The species has been in the hobby since 1995 when it was introduced in Germany. The description is interesting reading for dwarf cichlid fans and includes several nice color photos.

New Fish News Archive

Apistogramma and other dwarf cichlids evoke great passion among many fish keepers. Apistogrammas are the most popular dwarf cichlids but all are great aquarium fish that come in a rainbow of colors, exhibit fascinating behavior and can usually be kept in a community aquarium.

Male Apistogramma sp. Red Lobes Rio Xingu

click photo to enlarge
Male Apistogramma Xingu

There is no strict definition of what a dwarf cichlid is but there are a number of fishes that are commonly considered dwarfs. These are the dwarf cichlids like Apistogramma that are found in South America and West Africa.

   South American dwarf cichlids include Apistogramma, Apistogrammoides, Biotoecus, Crenicara, Dicrossus, Laetacara, Nannacara, Microgeophagus and Taeniacara. There are more species of Apistogramma than the others combined but the Blue Ram cichlid, Microgeophagus ramerizi, is not only the most popular and widely kept dwarf cichlid but an all time favorite among all tropical fish. This fish was once known as Apistogramma ramerizi but it is not an Apistogramma species.

Pelvicachromis and Nanochromis are the two most popular West African Dwarf Cichlids. The different Pelvicachromis species are generally more available than the Nanochromis.The ever popular krib or kribensis, Pelvicachromis pulcher, has long been a popular tropical fish and cichlid lovers have kept them in their aquariums for many years. If you have never kept dwarf cichlids Kribs are a great first choice.

The information in keeping and breeding Apistogrammas and other dwarf cichlids includes sections on foods & feeding, aquarium set up, aquarium maintenance, aquarium plants, fish health and much more.

One of the biggest problems with Apistogrammas and other dwarf cichlids is finding them! Check out our Buying Fish section for information on where to find these exotic tropical fish.

  You can find a lot of information about Rams, Kribs, Apistogrammas and other dwarf cichlids on the Internet. However, I strongly recommend that you purchase one or more of the books available. Visit our book reviews to learn about the books that are available.

Apistogramma cacatuoides male

Finally, several times a month I get a smile when I check my mail and discover a new issue of one of my favorite aquarium magazines has arrived. Reading these great magazines each month helps to keep me energized and inspired. If you want to enjoy your hobby more I strongly recommend subscribing to one of the excellent publications available. You can read my thoughts about them in our magazine reviews. Most of the magazines have Apistogramma articles at times and general dwarf cichlid information is frequently presented.

Take some time to explore our site. We hope to be your source for quality information about all aspects of enjoying Apistogramma and other dwarf cichlids in your own aquarium. If you have any questions, comments or criticisms please Contact Me

Dwarfcichlid.com Practical Information About Keeping, Breeding and Buying Dwarf Cichlids
Home Aquarium Care Buying Dwarf Cichlids Book Reviews South American Fishes In-Box Q&A West African Fishes Contact Us
Fish Profiles & Photos South American Apistogramma agassizii atahualpa borellii cacatuoides commbrae geisleri gephyra gibbiceps hongsloi iniridae macmasteri ortmanni panduro paucisquamis pertensis rubrolineata sp. "Abacaxis" sp. "Putumayo" sp. "Steel Blue" steindachneri uaupesi xingu Apistogrammoides pucallpaensis Dicrossus filamentosus Laetacara curviceps Microgeophagus altispinosa ramirezi West African Nanochromis parilus transvestitus Pelvicachromis pulcher roloffi subocellatus taeniatus Please help! Your contribution of any amount will help support the site.	Apistogramma and Dwarf Cichlids in the Aquarium News May 25, 2009 You are never too young to fall in love with dwarf cichlids and many young people enjoy keeping and breeding them. However, for most, the thought that they might someday collect their own Apistogrammas in the wilds of the Amazon is only a dream. For one young hobbyist the dream became a reality and Hudson, from Manaus, Brazil has taken a great interest in dwarf cichlids at a young age. He has started his own blog and has recently put on a page describing his collecting trip to the Amazon river near the village of Itapeaçu. You can read the complete description of this and other collecting trips he has made at Hudson's World. May 5, 2009 Tom Christofferson has added another great Apistogramma collecting article to his site. Collecting in Pebas, Río Orosa and Río Shishita describes his successful October 2008 trip to collect new forms of Apistos. Tom has a number of great collecting stories and photos on his site so be sure to check it out. April 10, 2009 I have always wanted to go on a fish collecting expedition but never have. I console myself by reading the accounts of others and have put together a page of resources about collecting dwarf cichlids. There are lots of stories of collecting trips along with a listing of expedition providers as well as some other interesting info. If you have ever wondered about a fish collecting trip check this page out! April 9, 2009 I have updated the dwarf cichlids for sale page today. I have sold out of a lot of species but am offering special prices for priority mail shipments. March 21, 2009 With warmer weather at hand I am beginning to plan for spring fish shipments. I have posted a list of the species I have available for shipment at Apistogramma and dwarf cichlids for sale March 15, 2009 Updated the Book Reviews page today. There are some excellent books about dwarf cichlids and if you are seriously interested in these fish any of the books reviewed will be of interest. Feb. 13, 2008 I have been getting a number of inquiries about my plans for spring fish shipping. I plan to begin selling and shipping in April. I have updated my dwarf cichlids for sale page and added a list of what I expect to have available. Feb. 13, 2009 I updated the Internet sources for buying dwarf cichlids page today. There are a few new suppliers of dwarf cichlids that I have added. Feb. 6, 2009 I added a new species page today. Apistogramma sp. "Abacaxis" is a spectacular but somewhat demanding fish that is rarely available but well worth the effort to acquire and keep. Jan 10, 2009 Apistogramma sp. "Steel Blue" is the first Apistogramma that many people acquire. They are commonly found in large corporate stores and they are quite attractive. However there are a lot of problems surrounding this Apisto. Check out the new Apistogramma sp. "Steel Blue" page for more info. Lots of folks have asked me for specific recommendations for products that I use in my fish room. I have entered into an arrangement with Pet Mountain to be able to offer some of my favorite products to you. Check out the new Equipment and Supplies page for complete info. I love to collect aquarium books and I have found a great new source for adding to my collection. www.bookcloseouts.com offers closeout books at amazing prices. They have a good stock of aquarium titles that changes depending on availability check them out to find some quality books at great prices. For a great look at collecting Apistogrammas read Tom Christoffersen's story of The hunt for the true Apistogramma cruzi This is a fascinating tale of his search for a rarely if ever seen Apistogramma. that will give you a good idea of what it might be like to explore remote areas of the Amazon. Noted aquarium fish collector and author Heiko Bleher was arrested in Brazil and charged with illegally exporting preserved fish. Brazil has very strict laws concerning fish export and apparently authorities were targeting Bleher. He has been released more and is relating his story here and here If you like the site and are planning to buy a dwarf cichlid book or a magazine subscription please buy it through my links as I will make a few percent on the sale - Thanks! You can also help by posting links to this site in other sites you visit but please don't post a link directly to an enlarged photo just to the page it is found on. As always, I welcome your comments so please Contact Me From the In-Box Lowering pH? March 21, 2009 Question: I set up a new tank nearly two months ago now. My PH 2 days after a water change is 8.0, a week after water change is 8.0. I can't get my PH below 8.0, what do I need to do? The tank has drift wood and a few plants, but I've been told that the wood or plants will not impact PH. I prefer not to use chemicals to alter PH, any suggestions? ? Answer: This is a very common problem for many people. Most likely your water has minerals in it that keep the pH at 8.0. This natural buffering capacity makes it hard to get the pH to stay lower. It is also possible that your substrate adds buffering capacity as well as any rocks you might have. Driftwood and plants will not raise pH. You can add chemicals but that will often only work for a short time until the pH rises again. I strongly suggest that you not try to use chemicals to solve your problem. Actually, a pH of 8.0 might allow you to succeed with many dwarf cichlids. Many tanks raised apistos can handle this as can many rams. I would suggest that you try starting with your regular water and see how the fish do. If they do not thrive then you can look at other alternatives. Here is a page with more info about good water for Apistogramma Flake Food? January 29, 2009 Question: What brand of flake food do you recommend? Answer: I don't feed flake food to my fish. I use so many floating plants that floating foods don't work for me. Instead I use sinking pellets to feed my Apistogrammas and other fish. If they worked for me I would not hesitate to feed flake as almost all of the flakes on the market today provide good balanced nutrition for your fish. Rather than brand I would focus on freshness and variety. Once you open the food it begins to lose quality. After 6 months it has lost a lot of the quality of new. My advice is buy small containers of food and use them as quick as possible. If you have old stale food throw it away and get fresh. You can read more about how I feed at Good Food and at Equipment. January 15, 2009 Question: How long do you leave Apistogramma parents in with their offspring? And if they spawn while the fry are still with them, do they become aggressive toward them? Answer: It is always a problem when you have a young healthy Apistogrammas that spawn on a regular schedule. Rarely will apistos tolerate older fry when new ones are brought out. Since the first fry are so small they are not ready to be on their own and try to come to the female. She sees them as a threat to the new fry and eats them. I have seen females spawn repeatedly and always eat the existing fry when the new ones come out. Often she will continue to care for the first batch right up until she brings the new ones out at which time she immediately turns on the older ones. I don't think there is a special age at which the fry should be removed from the parents. Rather, it is a matter of behavior and independence. Once the fry start to spend significant time outside of the school it is OK to separate. The fry will probably be fine prior to that but when they are schooling they do not move around as much and can be harder to feed. I believe that fry grow faster with the female that without. . Ask A Question In-Box Archives New Fish News May 18, 2009 Laetacara araguaiae is now the correct name for the fish that the hobby has known as Laetacara sp. "bukelkopf" following its formal description by Felipe P. Ottoni & Wilson J. E. M. Costa. Along with their description of the pair also re described Laetacara dorsigera. Along with the clarification that this article provides, it also creates some confusion as the authors mention another species, L. minutacara, without any info as to what this species might be. We can only hope that this is another description that they have in progress. November 23, 2008 Apistogramma erythrura is a newly described species that has been in the hobby for some time as Apistogramma sp. Mamore. This is a very attractive Apisto that is most closely related to Apistogramma trifasciata. The species has been in the hobby since 1995 when it was introduced in Germany. The description is interesting reading for dwarf cichlid fans and includes several nice color photos. New Fish News Archive Apistogramma and other dwarf cichlids evoke great passion among many fish keepers. Apistogrammas are the most popular dwarf cichlids but all are great aquarium fish that come in a rainbow of colors, exhibit fascinating behavior and can usually be kept in a community aquarium. click photo to enlarge Male Apistogramma Xingu There is no strict definition of what a dwarf cichlid is but there are a number of fishes that are commonly considered dwarfs. These are the dwarf cichlids like Apistogramma that are found in South America and West Africa. South American dwarf cichlids include Apistogramma, Apistogrammoides, Biotoecus, Crenicara, Dicrossus, Laetacara, Nannacara, Microgeophagus and Taeniacara. There are more species of Apistogramma than the others combined but the Blue Ram cichlid, Microgeophagus ramerizi, is not only the most popular and widely kept dwarf cichlid but an all time favorite among all tropical fish. This fish was once known as Apistogramma ramerizi but it is not an Apistogramma species. Pelvicachromis and Nanochromis are the two most popular West African Dwarf Cichlids. The different Pelvicachromis species are generally more available than the Nanochromis.The ever popular krib or kribensis, Pelvicachromis pulcher, has long been a popular tropical fish and cichlid lovers have kept them in their aquariums for many years. If you have never kept dwarf cichlids Kribs are a great first choice. The information in keeping and breeding Apistogrammas and other dwarf cichlids includes sections on foods & feeding, aquarium set up, aquarium maintenance, aquarium plants, fish health and much more. One of the biggest problems with Apistogrammas and other dwarf cichlids is finding them! Check out our Buying Fish section for information on where to find these exotic tropical fish. You can find a lot of information about Rams, Kribs, Apistogrammas and other dwarf cichlids on the Internet. However, I strongly recommend that you purchase one or more of the books available. Visit our book reviews to learn about the books that are available. Apistogramma cacatuoides male Finally, several times a month I get a smile when I check my mail and discover a new issue of one of my favorite aquarium magazines has arrived. Reading these great magazines each month helps to keep me energized and inspired. If you want to enjoy your hobby more I strongly recommend subscribing to one of the excellent publications available. You can read my thoughts about them in our magazine reviews. Most of the magazines have Apistogramma articles at times and general dwarf cichlid information is frequently presented. Take some time to explore our site. We hope to be your source for quality information about all aspects of enjoying Apistogramma and other dwarf cichlids in your own aquarium. If you have any questions, comments or criticisms please Contact Me Dwarfcichlid.com - practical advice about keeping, breeding and buying Apistogramma, Microgeophagus and other dwarf cichlids.

Practical Information About Keeping, Breeding and Buying Dwarf Cichlids

Apistogramma and Dwarf Cichlids in the Aquarium