Aquarium Fish Experts fish tanks

Anomolachromis thomasi (Dwarf Butterfly Cichlid)
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Laetacara dorsigerus (Smiling Acara)
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Vieja synspila (Quetzal Cichlid)
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Family: Cichlidae

Distribution: Apistogramma Rupununi is found in South America and parts of the West Indies: the Branco River, the Amazon River basin and Guyana’s Rupununi River basin, from which it derives its name.

PH: 5.5 – 6.5

Temperature: 22 – 30°C (72 – 86°F)

Hardness: 9 – 18 gDH

Description: Male Two-spot Apistogrammas can grow up to 3.8 cms in length, while females can reach up to 5 cm.

Diet: A quality flake or smallish pellets can serve as its staple diet.  You should feed this species live food – blood worms, brine shrimp – as a supplementary treat.

Breeding: Not much is known about the breeding habits of this species.

Comments: This small fish can be housed in a tank 15 gallons in volume.  Decorate your home aquarium with plenty of plants, rocks and hiding places.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species:
Apistogramma can be great community fish and live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Family: Cichlidae

Distribution: Pterophyllum scalare, sometimes known as Freshwater Angelfish, is a benthopelagic species found in the Amazon River basin, in Peru, Columbia and Brazil, along the Soilimoes, Ucayali and Amazon rivers.  It is also found in Amapa, Brazil; the Essequibo River, Guyana; and the Rio Oyapock in French Guiana.  It is distributed in swampy, flooded grounds – usually in areas of dense vegetation – and in clear waters.

PH: 6.0 – 8.0

Temperature: 24°C – 30C (75 – 86F)

Hardness: 5 – 13 dH

Description: Pterophyllum scalare can reach a maximum length of 8 cm. This species is one of the most popular choices for hobbyists, thanks to its unique, colourful appearance.  The Freshwater Angelfish has very high dorsal and anal fins, and a veil-tail that adds 3 – 4 inches to its width and length.  This species is generally a silver colouration with white and black stripes.  Pterophyllum scalare can live from 8 – 10 years.

Diet: Pterophyllum scalare is quite flexible when it comes to feeding and will accept any flake and pellet foods.  You should offer it granules, tubifex, small worms, tablets, spinach and lettuce to maintain its health.

Breeding: Pterophyllum scalare is an egg-laying species that should be bred in pairs.  Females will lay eggs on a rock – or a plant – and the male will fertilise the eggs.  This will repeat until there are between 100 – 1200 eggs, depending on how healthy the female is.  Both parents will care for the brood; the eggs hatch within a few days and the fry will stay attached to the spawning substrate.  You can feed the fry newly hatched brine shrimp.

Comments: You should tank this species in a tank with a length of 100 cm; a 20 gallon tank may be sufficient.  The Freshwater Angelfish will feel comfortable in an environment as close to their natural habitat as possible, so add plenty of plants to your tank and make sure the water isn’t too shallow; this species enjoys a tall aquarium.  Provide rocks for spawning sites.   Pterophyllum scalare is easy to look after and is suitable for newcomers to the hobby.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: Pterophyllum scalare will live happily with most large Tetra species. They are also great tank mates with Discus, Apistogramma‘s like Apistogramma Cacatouides and Apistogramma Borelli, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danioand Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Family: Cichlidae

Distribution: Apistogramma velifera is a South American dwarf cichlid, distributed in Venezuela’s Orinoco River system.

PH: 5.5 – 6.5

Temperature: 23°C – 30°C (73°F – 86°F)

Hardness: > 5 dH

Description: There is not much documentation on this species as yet.

Diet: A high quality flake is recommended as part of the Apistogramma velifera’s diet.  Offer blood worms and brine shrimps as an occasional treat.

Breeding: There is not much information available on the breeding habits of Apistogramma velifera.

Comments: Not a great deal is known about this South American cichlid.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species:
Apistogramma can be great community fish and live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Cichlasoma salvini (Salvin’s Cichlid)
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Family: Cichlidae

Distribution: Apistogramma tucurui is a dwarf cichlid found in South America, specifically Brazil’s Rio Tocantins’ basin.

PH: An ideal level lies between 5.5 – 6.5.

Temperature: Most Apistogramma species can be housed in temperatures between 75 – 80°F (24 – 26°C)

Hardness: This cichlid has been successfully bred in water hardness as high as 10 dGH.

Description: Apistogramma tucurui, like many of the cichlid family, is noted for its colourful appearance.  It has a golden head and several spots and stripes that originate in the head region and extend over the entire body.   The posterior side of the Apistogramma tucurui’s body is of a turquoise colour, as is its anal and dorsal fin.  This species, unlike other Apistogrammas, has up to seven black stripes in the head area and as many as nine stripes along its flank.

Diet: This species should be fed the same diet as Apistogramma brevinidus; it is omnivorous and will accept most foods.

Breeding: This species doesn’t appear to require special water conditions to breed.  You should put more females than males in a tank to maximise your chances of breeding Apistogramma tucurui.  Your chances of successful spawning will go up if you put at least two couples together in your tank.

Comments: This species should be kept in a large tank of at least 375 litres.  Apistogramma tucurui is slightly more aggressive than other Apistogramma and requires more space to accommodate its needs.  Remove leftover food from the tank promptly and change the water regularly to keep its quality.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species:

Apistogramma can be great community fish and live happily with most Tetra species (particularly the Neon Tetra and Black Tetra). They are also great tank mates with Discus, Corydoras Catfish  (particularly Corydoras Sterbai and Corydoras aeneus) Angelfish, Clown loach, the common Guppy and Platy and most Gourami (such as the Blue Gourami and Dwarf Gourami like the Honey Gourami) Also can live happily with most Danio (particularly the Zebra Danio and Pearl Danio)  and also many Killifish make great tank mates.

Family: Cichlidae

Distribution: Aequidens pulcher, or Blue Acara, are distributed in the standing waters and flowing streams of Central and South America, Trinidad and Venezuela.

PH: 6.5 – 8.0

Temperature: 18 – 23°C (64 – 73°F)

Hardness: 1 – 25 dH

Description: The Blue Acara, which can reach a large 16 cm in length, has a sparkling blue-gray base colouration and shiny, blue-green scales.  Males have longer, more pointed fins than females; and this fish’s forehead is broader than other cichlids.  The Blue Acara’s body may have 5 – 8 black stripes: these are not always visible.  It is a particularly attractive, non-aggressive fish.  It is often confused with the Green Terror – and for sometime was thought to be the same species – but the Blue Acara is not as aggressive and lacks the large hump on its head.

Diet: Aequidens pulcher is omnivorous and will love bloodworm, earthworms, frozen brine shrimp, flakes and insect larvae.

Breeding: The Blue Acara is easily bred; the female lays its eggs on rocks and will be very protective of its young.  Both parents will guard the eggs and larvae until hatching.  There are no special water requirements for breeding; this is a great fish for beginners.  It will spawn easily and without provocation.

Comments: Provide this species with a large tank – around 35 gallons in volume – and decorate it with several hiding places, rocks and wood.  The Blue Acara may eat dig out your plants so it might be worth adding a gravel substrate instead – it loves a tank bottom of fine sand.  Make sure your tank has strong lighting and several open swimming areas for this species to flourish.  It will need the occasional water change to maintain its health; its excrement can promote disease.

Article/Books:

Recommended Compatible Species: The Blue Acara is a peaceful – although quite territorial – cichlid that should be housed with species of a similar size.  Suggested tank mates include Firemouths, Severum, Corydoras, Loricariids and other mild-mannered cichlids.  It is best to house Blue Acara with similar-sized or larger species; they can be aggressive towards those smaller than them.

Amphilophus lyonsi (Pastel Tiger Cichlid)
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