South American Dwarf + L104 Biotope

[littlebristlenose]

Need to set up in lounge to keep misses happy.

Biotopes are gentle water how do you set it up without a strong current but to keep clean ?? ( got a 700 litre canister laying around would this do for a modifidifed with extra spray arms )

Anyone got a idea on a colourful South American Dwarf cichlid ( not common kribs ) that could be used in a biotope setup that wont hurt or eat L104 Tank is 32inch X 14inch x 15inch.

Looking at 5 x L 104's ( will be around 4 cm when setting up ) and a pair of Dwarf's and maybe something else ideas or suggestions on above please.

Intenting to have 1 dwarf sword ? ( maybe to big ) and a anubias or two as only plants rest open with rocks and timber ( driftwood ). ( dont want to use Java fern as i have had it in all my tanks forever and sick of the site of the plant ) Any suggestions remembering biotops only have a plant a two.

Is slate worth useing can get most colours available ( would it be natural there ) instead of rocks as a small raised area? ( somewhere for hiding ) Suggestions on rocks that will keep ph at 7 or below.

Any other ideas or suggestions would be great.

Thanks for any feedback!

 

[Lornek8]

What type of biotope are you going for and how strict are you trying to stick to it?
You've got a few things going on and none are strictly what I'd refer to a biotope so to speak. Biotopes are typically representations of various habitats, something like "South American Blackwater Stream". In it you'd have various plants and animals typically found together in the habitat you're recreating. Since you talk about SA dwarf cichlids, you're probably picturing something like a slow-moving blackwater stream, tannin stained water, sand-substrate, driftwood, possibly leaf litter, dwarf cichlids, tetras, corys, something like that. Not really the realm of L104, possible better for some Ancistrus or Ottos.

Dwarf cichlids to look at are the Apistogrammas and Dicrossus. Kribensis aren't South American. I like A. cacatuoides but there are many suitable species. It also has the benefit of coming from the same river as L104. http://www.dwarfcichlid.com/Apistogramma.php

Dwarf swords could work, some require kinda high lighting levels though. Anubias are also an African species so not sure if it'll fit in your idea of a biotope.

Slate, imo, is a bit harsh for this type of habitat.

Heres some pics/videos for inspiration;
http://www.amanotakashi.net/portfolio/amazon/underwater.html
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSRg_Y8KQyA"]YouTube- Amazon underwater habitat #9[/ame]
http://www.amazon-below-water.com/gallery.html

 

[jacko32]

if you plant a third of the tank quite dense with something like vallis, cabomba or ambullia with small caves in then get some bogwood or redmoor root and make some crevises and caves theres no reason you cant keep some apistogramma and some angel fish with your L104 you could make it blackwater if you wanted but its not escential the problem you have with the biotope is that most dwarf cichlids are from slow flowing weed filled streams where as the Panaque maccus are from faster flowing clearwater streams though these fish will come together at certain times of the year the most likely to come into contact with L104 would be the blue ram (mikrogeaphagus ramerezi) and they wouldnt touch your L104 at all and look stunning

 

[littlebristlenose]

What type of biotope are you going for and how strict are you trying to stick to it?
You've got a few things going on and none are strictly what I'd refer to a biotope so to speak. Biotopes are typically representations of various habitats, something like "South American Blackwater Stream". In it you'd have various plants and animals typically found together in the habitat you're recreating. Since you talk about SA dwarf cichlids, you're probably picturing something like a slow-moving blackwater stream, tannin stained water, sand-substrate, driftwood, possibly leaf litter, dwarf cichlids, tetras, corys, something like that. Not really the realm of L104, possible better for some Ancistrus or Ottos.

Dwarf cichlids to look at are the Apistogrammas and Dicrossus. Kribensis aren't South American. I like A. cacatuoides but there are many suitable species. It also has the benefit of coming from the same river as L104. http://www.dwarfcichlid.com/Apistogramma.php

Dwarf swords could work, some require kinda high lighting levels though. Anubias are also an African species so not sure if it'll fit in your idea of a biotope.

Slate, imo, is a bit harsh for this type of habitat.

Heres some pics/videos for inspiration;
http://www.amanotakashi.net/portfolio/amazon/underwater.html
YouTube- Amazon underwater habitat #9
http://www.amazon-below-water.com/gallery.html

All your posts here and other spots have been full of helful information thank you.

I have look at alot of photos and videos had some ideas wonted to bounce a few ideas around before starting.

 

[dw1305]

Hi all,
I think Apistogramma cacatuoides will go well with L104, and I keep mine in a tank with a reasonable amount of flow, and they are quite happy. It would be worth putting some caves, 1/2 coconuts or clay pots in a quiet area where the flow is lower, so that the female and young fry aren't separated. I'd go for a sand (or sand and fine grit substrate), and lots of wood and dead Oak leaves, if you can't find Oak I've been using Loquat leaves and they are fine.

A couple of Polish members of "Apistogramma forums" have posted Apistogramma videos on YouTube, link here <http://www.youtube.com/ApistoPL>, and well worth a look for the sort of look to aim for.

The planting could be any of the Echinodorus swords they are S. American, other biotope plants are Potomageton gayi (good in some flow) and Heteranthera zosterifolia. I like to have a few floating plants as well, Salvinia (Floating fern), Pistia (Water Lettuce) and Limnobium (Amazon Frogbit) are all S. American, although I'm not sure what you are allowed to own in Australia.

I'd also have some moss, although all the mosses we buy are Asian, very similar ones are found in S. America.

I'd try and get 1 male and 2/3 female Apistogramma as the tank has a large enough floor area, as long as it is quite a complex habitat. I'd have 5 - 7 Black Neon Tetras as "dithers" (they are a good dither/target fish for A. cacatuoides, they shoal reasonably well and stay in the upper/middle of the water column). Once the tank is established I'd finish of the stocking with 5 Otocinclus, you need to get these from a proper LFS where they look after them, not "Pets at Home" etc. hopefully they should be able to eat some of the cucumber or courgette that you put in for the L104.

An alternative fish to the Apistogramma would be a Cory 6 or so (C. sterbai or C. trilineatus), and a pair of Ancistrus claro rather than the L104. If you can get them and they are legal? another dwarf cichlid possibility would be the Bolivian Ram (Mikrogeophagus altispinosus)

I think L104 are quite territorial when they are adult so you may need to thin them down to 1 male and 1 or 2 females.

cheers Darrel

 

[littlebristlenose]

I have breeders L104's just didn't want anything eating small guys as other fish that i have used for similar set ups have eaten catfish.
Have visited that link a eye opener,we do have most plants here just didn't want a plant based tank for smaller catfish.
I do also have otto's and my friends are breeding well mine's showing signs ( i think they way end upp being a meal )
Tetra's ?? not sure on atype have 5 kinds in tanks not sure off one for south american dwarf's.
I lose alot from fleeing in other tanks so not sure if there the right choice.

It wont be for breeding just display.