My first pleco tank!

[nvcichlids]

This is my first pleco tank ever! (well there are apistos also, but how really minds apistos??) I keep my L201's and L129's in this tank. The tank is a 20 gal L. Standard lighting with malaysian driftwood and filtered by an aquaclear 30 with a filter attachment. Let me know what you think!




Hope you enjoy it as much as I do.

NV

[apistomaster]

It is a very nice set up for both Apistogramma species and small Hypancistrus spp.
I would suggest that you consider increasing this tank's filtering system as the AquaClear seems too small to me to be the sole filter taking into consideration the adult sizes of the plecos and assuming at least one trio of an Apistogramma sp.
I would add both a small canister filter and an air stone. Otherwise, do not exceed a conservative stocking level.
Which Apistogramma sp are you planning to get? One I highly recommend for those new to keeping Apistogramma is A. trifasciata.Most will recommend A. cacatuoides or A. borelli but I have a few reasons why I think A. trifasciata is a better one to begin with. A. cacatuoides males grow fairly large as Apistogramma spp go and they are not a very long lived species. A. borelli is difficult to fault but I find these two things I count against them. They are very shy and if you breed them you will find their fry grow very slow. A. trifasciata is peacefully bold, brightly colored and one of the small species like A. borelli. They tend to be easily bred and make good parents and their fry grow quickly.
A.trifasciata and A. borelli are the two spp i consider the best first Apistogramma species to keep and breed. They can do this in a tank shared with small Hypancistrus spp like L260 or others of that size. I just had a brood of A. trifasciata I had set up in a 29H with 6 Hypancistrus sp L260.
6 juvenile Dicrossus maculatus, 6 juvenile A.panduro and 6 A. juvenile trifasciata. The spawning female was still very small yet she has managed to raise 10 fry to the independent stage before I planned to breed them. It has made an impression on me and i have raised my fair share of Apistos.


I have 3 Aquaclear 200/50 in use on either 20 longs or a 36 inch long 35 gal show style tank. In all cases i am running an air stone and one other filter. I am using an Azoo BioFilter #6(Equiv. to a HydroSponge IV) driven by a MaxiJet 600. My tanks are set up for breeding and ease of maintenance so except for my Discus display tanks I don't mind the ugly sponge filters. Small fry and most plecos will use the sponge surface to their advantage as food bits tend to accumulate on the surface of the sponge but your's is a pretty display tanks so a canister filter's plumbing is easily hidden from view. I probably am on the high side when it comes to my recommended circulation volumes, but I like to see enough filters to recirculate about 10 tank volume per hour. I also prefer to use 2 filters so I can alternate cleaning them so a fully cycled filter is in operation at all times.
There is also something else to take into consideration when choosing filters. Manufacturers state the flow rates of a clean filter. In practice the volumes of water actually moved is much less after debris accumulates so using half the design rate is more realistic than the maximum potential rate advertised by the manufacturers.

[nvcichlids]

I was thinking about adding one of those new whisper 35-40 ex filters onto the back. I do not like airstones/sponge filters because they bubble and disrupt my sleeping. I might add another powerhead going back the other way??

BTW Larry, I have 12x Apistogramma steindachneri (all of which are 1-1.75") (only two are 1.75 the others are closer to 1.25")

[apistomaster]

I think you will be glad you decided to add the new filters. I like air stones but i understand the noise prolem. Usually it's the sound of the pump that is the main source of unwanted noise. For just an air stone you can remotely locate a small pump and run a long line because an air stone can be adjusted to be silent and still supply a current and their other benefits. The power head gives you good circulation but it always seems a shame to me to not use it to run a large sponge filter at the same time. Plecos do like having some source of current however you can provide it.

Both of your plecos are good choices for the 20 Long and L201 seems to breed frequently so they may be one of the next best steps to take after breeding bushynoses if breeding is part of your plans.

You may already know this, but Apistogramma steindachneri is among the largest of the Apistogramma spp. I wouldn't try to keep more than a trio in a 20 long. Otherwise the 12 would be overcrowding a 20 long and no spawns are likely if you want to breed them. A big male is almost no longer a dwarf Cichlid based on the average maximum size of most Apistogramma. Have you already anticipated the space requirement that 12 will need?

[nvcichlids]

yes I know about the apistos being one of the largest. I am trying to let them grow out so I can get a trio out of it (1m/2f) and then sell the rest. Essentially, the filter adaptor I have on my powerhead is a sponge filter, just with a slotted casing around it. I think I will add a HOB filter, seeing I have soo many extras. I am in the process of setting back up my 33 gall L (48x12x12) for a SA tank with plecos (dunno what type(s) yet) and maybe another trio of the apistos, and a couple of my balzani's. The apistos (like stated earlier I believe) are still quite small, which I wish I could sex them so I could continue to watch for breeding.

Thanks for your advice, and I wish I could afford youf L134's =P. Must stick to the cheaper ones until I get married!