Blog – Tropical Fish Planet

Apistogramma taeniata: is it suitable for a community aquarium? If you're thinking about buying an Apistogramma taeniata, you should know that it may not be as suitable as you think for a community aquarium. Apistogramma taeniata can be more vulnerable than other cichlids to various diseases. That said, by following careful procedures for introducing this species to your community aquarium, you will be mitigating the risk of disease. Apistogramma taeniata is a generally peaceful fish, but like all cichlids, can become territorial when spawning. Apistogramma taeniata should be kept in groups of 5 to 10 individuals, according to the scientists who study them, with no more than a couple of males (a ratio of four females to one male seems to be ideal) but fewer if they are brightly colored, fewer if they are intolerant of other Apistogrammas, fewer if you don't have much room to spare, fewer if your lights are too bright, and so on. What is the history of Cichlids? Cichlids are a very ancient and extensive classification of fishes dating back millions of years before, for example, dinosaurs. Cichlids probably originated around 550 million years ago (give or take a month or two 😀) and there are somewhere in the region of 2,000 to 3,000 different species, of which around 1,700 have been classified (at the time of writing). Cichlids can make excellent community fish but you should take care because not all Cichlids are good community fish and may devastate an established aquarium, treating their tankmates as food, so before choosing a Cichlid, please ensure that you know whether or not your choice will be appropriate to your needs. Apistogramma taeniata: from where does it originate? As the common name suggests, Apistogramma taeniata is a South American cichlid. But where does this species come from? The answer to this question seems to be that it has its origins in the area between Guyana and Venezuela, in that part of the continent where the Orinoco meets the Amazon. We know that the genus Apistogramma is very diverse in this region. This is because of these wide-ranging cichlids, which are all believed to have originated in this area. Apart from their size, which varies according to their origin, their coloration also varies widely. This means that several species can be found within this single genus even if their morphology doesn't differ much. Probably these are all descended from one single ancestor, but today they have evolved into different types of fish. They have adapted themselves to various parts of this region by evolving into these different forms. Apistos are very active, and they need to be kept in groups. An aquarium of them is more interesting than one fish alone. But it also tends to be more frustrating: the fish are too small to eat most foods, and they don't usually prefer to take dry or freeze-dried foods. They prefer to be fed live worms or insect larvae. What are the basic characteristics of Apistogramma taeniata The Apistogramma taeniata can reach up to three inches long. The average is around two inches long. It is most commonly a silver-gray color, but specimens have been found that are a golden yellow or brownish depending on their surroundings. It has a somewhat flattened body that allows it to slip through the water easily. Its mouth is small and located low down on its body. Its eyes are quite large with an iris that ranges from red to brown. The Apistogramma taeniata is considered harmless since it does not bite or sting, and poses no significant danger to tankmates. Apistogramma taeniata is a small fish with red and white stripes above and below. It is native to the Amazon and Orinoco basins, and is found in quiet backwater areas. The Apistogrammas are a group of small fish in the subfamily Geophaginae, which are native to South America. The Geophaginae is one of three subfamilies of the family Trygonidae, which also includes the better-known cichlids. The Geophaginae is sometimes included within the Cichlinae, but most authorities now follow the classification of Johnson et al. (1997), who treated it as a separate subfamily. The species of Apistogramma are small freshwater fish that are easily distinguished from the true cichlids by their lack of prominent labial toothplates or "lip sockets". They are territorial and tend not to be very aggressive towards conspecifics, although they may defend an area against intruders if there is no suitable spawning site available. They typically feed on benthic invertebrates or algae, with some species being pelagic predators that feed on plankton. What is the physical appearance of Apistogramma taeniata The Apistogramma taeniata has a black stripe on the caudal peduncle of the fish. There are also spots located behind the gill plates. The back part of the fish is silver in appearance. The male fish have an iridescent blue color when they are in breeding condition. The male fish can grow to be approximately three centimeters tall. It is quite hard to determine the length of this fish by just looking at it because its body shape is very slender. It is important to note that the female fish is larger than the male fish in this species. What is the living environment of Apistogramma taeniata Apistogramma taeniata is a species of dwarf cichlid fish, which is part of the family of cichlids from the Amazon River basin. A. taeniata is a very popular aquarium fish and can be housed in aquariums with temperatures between 24 and 32 degrees Celsius. Apistogramma taeniata has a relatively small size, is peaceful, and can be kept in a community aquarium with other types of fish. The Apistogramma taeniata is an egg-layer and will lay eggs on plants or rocks. After that, they are then taken care of by the parents. If the parent dies, the eggs may then become infertile or die themselves. This species should be fed with small live food such as brine shrimp, daphnia, cyclops, and bloodworms. Aquarists have also reported that this species could be fed with dry food, but their preference for live food should be noted. Apistogramma taeniata reaches an average size of 1.2 inches (3 cm) when fully grown. It has a lifespan of four years if properly cared for in your home aquarium environment. This fish is available at almost any pet shop that specializes in freshwater fish. The Apistogramma taeniata is a member of the Apistogramma genus and Apistogramma family of fish. This species is known to inhabit tropical freshwater environments within South America. The Apistogramma taeniata has been recorded to live in a benthopelagic freshwater environment within a tropical climate. What is the diet of Apistogramma taeniata The Apistogramma taeniata is a fish that prefers to be fed live food. You can not just put them in the tank and let them do what they want because they will eat all your plants. And you can not just feed these fish flakes, because they need a varied diet to stay healthy. To be able to feed your fish correctly, you have to know what it eats in the wild. It turns out that the Apistogramma taeniata feeds on insects and worms. Also, they need a varied diet as well as some vegetable matter as well as some frozen food as well as some live food. Apistogramma taeniata seem to eat algae off of the glass and rocks. What are the sexual differences between male and female Apistogramma taeniata In most cichlids, including Apistogramma taeniata, the females are larger than the males. The females are also more aggressive, especially when guarding their young. They are more colorful, and they develop brighter colors when they are carrying eggs or fry. The males are more lightly colored, except when they are courting or fighting with other males. Most striking of all, the females' anal fin is longer than the male's anal fin. The purpose of this is not entirely clear. The long anal fin may be used in some way during mating, but if so it is unclear what advantage it gives her. It may instead be an effect rather than a cause: males chose females with long anal fins because they find them more attractive, and this is simply how the female's body responded to that choice. What is an ideal aquarium size for Apistogramma taeniata A male and female pair of Apistogramma taeniata will usually lay eggs if they have enough room to swim back and forth between two opposite corners of the tank, so the absolute minimum tank size is that which will allow them to do this, which is roughly 20 to 30 gallons. After that, the larger the tank you use, the fewer problems you're likely to encounter, such as aggression between fish or insufficient filtration. You should also consider how many other fish you intend to keep with them. If you are keeping more than one Apistogramma species, then each Apistogramma taeniata pair must have at least 10 gallons of space just for themselves. The ideal aquarium size for a small shoal Apistogramma taeniata is therefore about 60 gallons, but certainly not more than 120. The optimal tank size for Apistogramma taeniata is around 30 gallons. This is the ideal environment for them to thrive and live a long healthy life. The aquarium should have a heater and a filter that runs 24 hours a day. Other fish that can be put in the same tank as Apistogramma taeniata include: Neon Tetras, Silver Tip Tetras, Dwarf Cherry Shrimp, Ghost Shrimp, Red Cherry Shrimp, Amano Shrimp, Blue Legged shrimp and Black Diamond Shrimp. In order to keep their environment as close as possible to their natural habitat, the aquarium should have plenty of plants and driftwood. However you must make sure that neither of these things touch the filter intake or they will get sucked into it. Are you keeping tropical fish as a hobbyist or as a breeder? This is a question too often ignored in my humble opinion. If you are a breeder (either commercially or as a hobbyist who gives away young fish to other hobbyists) then you will need the resources to move fish into breeding tanks in order to maximize the yield of fry that will grow up either for sale or to give them away. If you are keeping fish for the joy of observing them in something resembling a natural habitat then you may feel that it is appropriate to allow nature to take its course and, as and when different species breed, then many of the eggs (and surviving fry) will be eaten either by their parents or by other fish in your aquarium. This is the natural order of things because this is what will happen in nature. The fittest may well survive to reach adulthood. If the species is large and/or if the species has a large number of young during a spawning then you need to have a well-established plan as to how you intend to manage what could be several hundred young fish at every spawning. Even your local pet store may not have the capacity to take them off your hands, even if they wanted to. This aspect of keeping fish is the most often overlooked but should be high on the agenda of all responsible aquarists. Ultimately, the choice is yours to make. How do you breed Apistogramma taeniata What are the requirements for breeding Apistogramma taeniata? I have read suggestions to be found in books and on the Internet, but they are contradictory. Breeding Apistogramma taeniata is not as straightforward as some other cichlids. These fish are very sensitive to water conditions; they need soft, acidic water. Some of the reasons for this sensitivity are discussed below. Apistogramma taeniata like it warm: 29-30 degrees C (84-86 degrees F) is about right. This is generally too hot for most species and, as you are probably aware, sudden or rapid temperature changes can induce diseases such a White Spot (Ich). Apistogramma taeniata prefer soft water, somewhat alkaline. How would you set up a breeding tank for Apistogramma taeniata A breeding tank should offer relatively shallow water but have sufficiently high sides to prevent the fish from leaping clear of the tank. My general advice for most cichlids is to remove the parents once the eggs are laid and fertilized, as the parents love live food, including their offspring. Irrespective of your plans, of course, any species of fish will seek to breed when they are so minded and breeding in the community tanks is by no means uncommon. In such circumstances, survival of the fittest is the order of the day, so including plenty of hiding places a dense foliage in which fry can hide will improve their survival chances to a limited extent. Is there a special diet for breeding Apistogramma taeniata Breeding Apistogramma taeniata requires a special diet, but luckily it's one that can be described in just a few words: "Feed the fish more than they want." In its natural habitat, Apistogramma taeniata eats algae and insect larvae. In your aquarium, you have to substitute more expensive alternatives designed for other fish: flakes and little pellets of various kinds. There are also foods designed for bottom-feeding fish (corydoras and such) which you can use; these may be less likely to cause problems with water chemistry. My tank has just three Apistogramma taeniata in it. Every few days I feed them bloodworms, and every few weeks I clean out the tank. I do this regularly because my fish are breeding regularly; the eggs are tiny and white, like grains of salt, and they cling to plants or to the aquarium glass.