FishProfiles.com Message Forums

Hello,

If I were to opt for a pair of Apistogramma for my future tank (60-75 gallon), would it be safe to house them with Cardinal Tetra? I don't want them to fall prey to a territorial pair if they were to start breeding, but the literature I've read on them suggests that tetras may be safely kept with them, but it doesn't specify which tetra. Would the Cardinals be too small or would they be alright/speedy enough to evade the Cichlid?

My other options include Laetacara curviceps, German Blue Rams, and possibly Kribs, though for anything other than the Blue Rams I wonder about aggression during breeding.

EDIT:
Other planned tankmates are a small school of Otocinclus and a pair of Bristlenose, for aggression considerations.

Thanks in advance!

Advisor

skystrife

Remember that link I just posted have you looked there if so what was the answer?

Keith

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

It mentions that they may be too aggressive during breeding for the Cardinal, and for any other tetra I've tried (which is why I'm asking here as well). I was curious if anyone has had some experience with keeping them with tetras personally, to see if the AqAdvisor is being conservative. I know that it's a very good idea to keep dither fish with them, so being dangerous with tetras seems odd... though I guess I should not underestimate breeding temperaments.

Some species can be peaceful even with each other and at breeding time become extremely aggressive.

I have 3 Bolivian rams and they are considered a peaceful species yet every now and then they will turn on a huge Hoplo Catfish if it will not move out of its way.

Even within the same species and same variety one fish will be peaceful and another one a aggressive monster.
There is no general rule.

Cookie

Near enough is not good enough, therefore good enough is not near enough, and only your best will do.
I VOTE DO YOU if not WHY NOT?
VOTE NOW VOTE NOW

Thats a huge tank and the cardinals will have more then enough upper area to flee to if needed. apistogramma defends against threats and cards arnt gona be a threat. if its planted even if they are fake with some nice wood i think it would look really nice.

as far as aggression goes there really shouldnt be an issue. i would be more concerned about territorial disputes.

Really nice size tank for these small fish it should look very nice.

I've kept cardinals with rams and Discus successfully. Make sure (as has been mentioned) to have some hiding places and lots of plants for the cards to play around in. When the Rams breed, they will chase everything (and I mean everything) away from "their" area of the tank. But as long as there is enough room for them to stake out a corner, and everyone else has someplace to hide for a while, things should be fine.

Of course, the question here is which of the numerous Apsitogramma species are you planning to put in the aquarium in question?

Some species (and I'm thinking here of the smaller ones) would probably be compatible because they live in the same waters as Cardinals in the wild. I'd consider Apistogramma panduro to be one of the 'compatible' ones here, though in a 60 gallon tank, the Cardinals should have more than enough space to escape the attention of a breeding pair of panduros.

The trick here is to aquascape the tank with the possibility of the Apistos breeding right from the start. Apistos tend to like caves, so, give them caves ... all at one end of the tank, and ideally facing toward the side glass. Then set up some nice plant barriers about halfway across the tank, so that the Cardinals have a retreat to hide behind should you be unfortunate and acquire a pair of psychotic Apistos.

With this sort of decor arrangement, you provide the Apistos with some breeding privacy, and they're not constantly seeing potential threats to their babies. As a result, the Apistos should be happy, and your tank should be relatively free of internecine warfare.

Having said that, though, there are Apistos, and then there are Apistos ... the bigger ones, such as Apistorgramma agassizi (despite being called a "Dwarf Cichlid, this is a 3.5 inch fish fully grown!) and whatever Apistogramma reitzigi has been renamed to, should be approached with caution, as these two are likely to be pretty feisty when breeding. Apistogramma cacatuoides can also be a bit of a fire breather in miniature when a pair have a family to raise, so it's worth bearing this in mind when you choose your Apistos.

If they've arrived on the scene by now, and you don't mind [1] searching high and low for them, and [2] spending a small fortune acquiring them, then there's one species I can recommend will live with your Cardinals, and if you can get hold of it, it'll be a real conversation point in your tank ... this is the so-called "super dwarf" Apistogramma angayuara. This was new to science in 2005, so it's possible some have made it into the hobby by now, but be prepared to pay a LOT of money for these if they turn up! The reason I recommend them? Simple - they're the smallest Cichlid known to science. They max out at just 1 inch long, which means that they'll be compatible with your Cardinals without too much trouble, especially in a 60 gallon setup!


Panda Catfish fan and keeper/breeder since Christmas 2002