My 29 gallon Apistogramma tank!

[Rcslade124]

So I'm going to start a thread so I can just post my build from here on out!

To start I got a 29 gallon tank used from Facebook. (Was supposed to be a 40g) I didnt take tape measure with me so when I get home poof depressed instantly. So I fight for a week and finally decided to make this work. I then researched filters. I decided on a Swiss Tropic corner filter. This will be main filtration for the tank. I powered it by a tetra whisper 100 for now. I silicone it to the corner of the tank. I then found a piece of spiderwood that I liked. Put it all in and started my cycle. I then found rocks that I liked and added them to the tank. And the cycle continues. I cleaned up the tetra whisper30 that came with the tank. Filled with fluval bioring and a sponge figure I may as well run it if I have it! I can move it to a new tank or a hospital tank if I need. Cycle completed lastnight. I cycled it to 2ppm ammonia.. This is where I'm at now. Pics to come!

 

[Rcslade124]

This was the first time filled and ammonia added. I was going to use the pots for caves for the 2 female apistogramma. Until further reading I learned they need to be apart. But original setup.

 

[Dan12boy]

This was the first time filled and ammonia added. I was going to use the pots for caves for the 2 female apistogramma. Until further reading I learned they need to be apart. But original setup.

Looks like a really nice and simple setup. I'll be following the build. Also are apistogrammas your final choice?

 

[CrazedHoosier]

I just recently upgraded from a 29 gallon to a 40 gallon. Don’t underrate the 29 gallon! They showcase fish really well! I’m excited to see your build. It’s looking really nice already.

 

[Rcslade124]

Then found rocks I added to the tank. And position like this. And finished the cycle.

 

[Rcslade124]

Yes apistogramma cacatuoides. I want three but will probably have to settle for 2 until females are available. Then I'm thinking 9 rummy nose tetra and maybe some cardinals or green fire tetta. Or more rummy nose.

 

[Rcslade124]

Last post tonight to cap off the beginning of the project. Sorry to post so many in a row.I finally got my beamswork dafullspec lights tonight. Ordered plants from Vishaquatics that will arrive in the next couple of days and I will plant and finish until I get the fish.
Ph is 6.8 kh 2 gh 8. I will add Indian almond leaves after I plant and maybe peat moss to tent up the water some. Here's where we are tonight

 

[Rcslade124]

So plants arrived a day earlier than planned. They arrived beautiful. So I have to say for anyone with a planted tank I commend you that is hard. Maybe I should've gotten the planting tweezers. But most stayed down. Going to get tweezers now to finish getting everything in fingers crossed..

 

[Rcslade124]

Ok most of the plants down. Fingers crossed I keep them alive. And don't judge too much it's my first time planting. So a dose of ammonia to keep cycle moving. Will start ferts in the am after a night of ammonia processing. Fingers crossed.

 

[saltwater60]

I think it looks great. I like it a lot.
What light do you have on that tank?

 

[Rcslade124]

Beamswork dafullspec. Its growing on me thought it looked sloppy and crowded but as I look around there is a lot of open space. I just need to get a few more plants to stay down and start fertilizing them.

 

[Rcslade124]

So I'm realizing that I picked the wrong time to cycle a tank here in wv. I have been eyeballing apistogramma cacatuoides triple red for a long time. But they are always sold out of the females. And I want to wait to get the fish I want. I decided on rummy nose tetra also sold out. I am afraid to wait for either to come back in stock since the longer I wait it will be winter and might not ever get anything shipped ugh. I'd hate to have to keep adding ammonia all winter to keep cycle until spring.
Now I have looked at honsolI apistogramma and I like them or the viejita. Anyone have suggestions?

 

[Otocinclus13]

I've heard that hongsloI and viejita can be more aggressive than cacatuoides, especially when breeding. They are stunning fish, but may not work as well in a community tank.

 

[goldface]

I wouldn't define it as an Amazon biotope, but nice planted tank, nevertheless!

As for fish, really decide you want them. I know you don't want to wait, but waiting a little longer for them to be available or fully commit on other options will be worth it.

 

[Rcslade124]

Yeah it's not quite amazon. Too many plants. I got plant happy lol. I have thought about darkening the water some also but I'm kinda liking the clarity. But may add peat in future. I am just set on certain apistogramma might have found some on aquabid fingers crossed.

 

[coralbandit]

Nice set up .
I kept hongsloI and they were not much tougher then caucs ..Way better looking IMO.
Aquabid has whatever apisto you want for sale everyday ...
Probably better then most pet stores especially one that does not stock common fish??

 

[Rcslade124]

Yeah I like the hongsloI also. Idk I just love the flame look on the tails of the red cacatuoides. Plus they get just a bit bigger. I'm talking with someone from aquabid that has some born in july. If all goes well they will be shipped next week

 

[Rcslade124]

Ok so I did a final scape. I removed my rocks that I absolutely loved. But they took up a lot of room and I think I needed caves for each female apistogramma to claim. So I put 2 pots back in. I put the pots so I can see inside from the front of the tank so I can see any eggs. I also had to move some plants the floating pearlweed and Japanese pennywort kept uprooting the taller plants. Moved them to other side. Hopefully the scape grows on me again.
Lastly if I add 15 cardinal tetras tomorrow and stop the feeding of ammonia will I lose that much bacteria by Wednesday to add the 3 apistogramma? Or will the bacteria be fine a couple days with less ammonia? I will be on top of parameter since I'm trying to nail ph and keep it stable.

 

[Nobote]

Looks good!

 

[Rcslade124]

15-16 cardinals in transit! Small so room for some growth. Will get pics when lights on in the tank if they cooperate!

 

[saltwater60]

Nice tank.

 

[Rcslade124]

Yup I count 16. They seem to be doing well one off to the side will keep an eye on him!

 

[Rcslade124]

I lied I now count 17! 2 free cardinal yes please. My apistogramma cacatuoides are in the mail arrive Wednesday so fingers crossed for a safe trip. Cardinals all ate tonight. I have to figure out how to feed the my jetlifter sends food across the tank. The hob then sends it down. I fed small pinches a couple of times. Hopefully the apistogramma will help clean up left over food. But I'm super stoked.

 

[Rcslade124]

So it was a rough 24hrs for the cardinals. Lost 11 so far. Def the roughest day in water keeping ever. I worried that the problem was in my water. Stressed all night did an 80% water change. Tested water over and over.

On top of it all my 3 apistogramma cacatuoides were arriving today. With no real qt for the fish I had to hope it was in the cardinals and not the water.

Acclimated the apistogramma to the water for 45 mins and in they went!

 

[Rcslade124]

10 hours and all 3 have settled a little. Eating and active. The dominant female is harassing the sub female. So that is going to have to be monitored. 6 cardinals look health and swimming. All of them ate. So I hope the worst is over. Also received a lot of hornwort from the apistogramma seller! Water test after the baby falls asleep.

 

[Rcslade124]

Sub female. This is her hiding spot.

Male checking me out thinking if he could eat me if I came in his territory.

Dominant female taking a break from chasing the other female. Shes pretty yellow I didnt expect them to color up like they are ready to breed yet.
Hopefully they claI'm a pot each and calm down. The male shows interest in both.

 

[Blondeath]

Sub female. This is her hiding spot.

Male checking me out thinking if he could eat me if I came in his territory.

Dominant female taking a break from chasing the other female. Shes pretty yellow I didnt expect them to color up like they are ready to breed yet.
Hopefully they claI'm a pot each and calm down. The male shows interest in both.

Your tank looks great! Are you changing your ph for them or just using tap as is?

 

[Rcslade124]

It is around 6.8-7 now. But was low 6s last week. so I'm monitor it daily for now. I have done a few large water changes so the wood tannis has been changed out. I'll watch it. Most of my tanks settled aroun 6.8-7 but all this wood had thrown it off

 

[Rcslade124]

And if it does drop it should be from tannis in leaves and wood so it shouldn't have a major drop instantly. I am hoping it stays around 7 so I don't have to worry about water changes.

 

[Rcslade124]

Today I come home from work turn on the lights and find a nice surprise the sub female spawned on the outside of one of the pots. I couldnt find the dominant female anywhere. Well I found her she spawned under the heater. So 2 spawns. I worry that my cardinals will eat all of the fry if they hatch. But I'm hopefull for some success.

 

[Rcslade124]

So officially the parents have eaten all of the eggs. So we are back to none. One female is guarding a spot in the tank that she may try again. She's chasing away all the other fish so maybe. It's just way too soon. So I'll watch for a day and see if she still gaurds the wood.

I have been finding quite a few pond snails in the tank. So that's def going to be an issue down the line with breeding. I will have to get a 20L to raise and grow out the fry. I am hoping for a couple months before they try to spawn again but idk.

Started fertilizer again. The plants looking rough. I will probably have to remove some that look like they are dead. But hey it's all a learning curve. 50% water change in a couple days that should be fun. It will. Be the apistogramma first large water change.

 

[Rcslade124]

Little update.
So I noticed some white spots on my cardinals. Suspect it is ich!! These cardinal tetras will be the death of this tank!

There's a good pic of spot on the cardinals head. So immediately I dig in. I find out of my 3 yes 3 thermometer the temps off multiple degrees. I got a restaurant quality food thermometer. All thermometer show different. Ones at 80 ones at 79 one is 82. Actual temp 76°. So I suspect with my massive die off that the cardinals have harbored this. Immediately turn heater on full blast. Wont break 85° so I decided to medicate.

 

[Rcslade124]

So I'm digging in the tank before buying meds. And I see something else in the tank moving. Hmm what is it? Welp its fry. I counted 5. So of course I have fry and ich really what are the chances? Upon discussing on another thread life of the tank is most important!

Here's the fry. I do a good sand cleaning and start medicine. Kordon rid ich plus. By end of the day no fry survive. I may have sucked them up or may have just lost them. I have done30% water changes for a week now and medicated the tank. No spots no fatalities. I bought a second heater. We are at 86° now.

 

[Rcslade124]

Notice my female apistogramma are really brown realized that they are going to spawn. Now have one female gaurding her wood spot.

2nd female loves the sides of pots

She must have laid these past few hours. Still white so I don't think they are fertilized yet. Unfortunately its waterchange time. Doing 75% and starting fertilizer pro pps from nilocg in the morning as stated on another thread. But that's where we are today pretty sure I have 2 new spawns and brine shrimp hatchery going now. Will feed moms with batch one and repeat for babies. I hatch in about 48 hrs crappy light so it isn't ideal. But works.

 

[Rcslade124]

Lost a few eggs in water change this female doesn't like water changes they ate them all after I did one first time she spawned. Still have some no touching tank for a week!

 

[Rcslade124]

They ate them all after water change so just one female left gaurding her wood cave. Last time I thought nothing hopefully get a few fry if not maybe next time

 

[Rcslade124]

So found some fry today. Count 12. Let's see how long she can protect them this time no substrate changes for awhile while I see them.

 

[Rcslade124]

Few pictures of the fry and daddy. Fry are hard to see but they are all the grey dots in the sand! Also here's the surviving cardinals.

Love his blue highlights!

 

[Rcslade124]

Counting 5 tonight some might be under a leaf. Brine shrimp hatch tomorrow.

 

[Rcslade124]

So all fry are gone. From that spawn. But the other female spawned shes the one that eats them all.

 

[Rcslade124]

And this female is coloring up to spawn again. They will get it right eventually

 

[Rcslade124]

Moved Hob intake into the back of corner filter. Like the look now

 

[Rcslade124]

So I am ready for the next free swimmers. Not a professional setup but it will help keep an eye on them. I will transfer a few leaves for extra food and will add first fry food and brine shrimp. Missed my weekly brine day so started some tonight.

 

[Rcslade124]

Update:
So not much new in the tank. I have gotten the plants growing well (another thread). Everyone is happy. The Apistogramma have spawned I do believe. I couldn't locate the female all evening and noticed her hovering in the top of a pot. It will be the first spawn without the second females in the tank. This female has eaten all her eggs before they hatch so let's see if she is successful. At least she spawned in a cave this time. Brine shrimp cooking for Mommy and will refrigerate for the baby's if they hatch in the next couple of days. If no signs and mom's still on already I'll start more.

 

[Ryanpowell]

Nice looking tank the plants seem to be coming in nice.

 

[Rcslade124]

Yes it's filling out well. The plants are much bigger now. Didn't realize that I have rescaped also. Will add photos later

 

[Ryanpowell]

I look forward to seeing them

 

[Rcslade124]

The back pot is where female is guarding. Hope to hatch in a day or 2.

 

[Ryanpowell]

Nice setup. Where did you pick up that spider wood? I’m looking to buy a large piece for my 75 .

 

[Rcslade124]

Lucky find at Petco.