Where do you buy your apistogrammas?

[MammaBearinTN]

We have the big box pet stores, and three "local" fish stores, and no one carries them.

Are they difficult to breed? Just not popular? I haven't seen even one in the local stores here!

 

[Cydeth]

We have the big box pet stores, and three "local" fish stores, and no one carries them.

Are they difficult to breed? Just not popular? I haven't seen even one in the local stores here!

They are pretty easy to breed if your water parameters are correct for them. Keep the water as soft as you can, ph on the slightly acidic side, temp about 25c/77f and you shouldn't have much of an issue as long as there are plenty of hiding spaces and plants.

I can't speak to their popularity in America, but their popularity has nose dived in the UK for sure. I remember about a decade ago seeing them for sale quite readily, but I really had to search for them when I wanted more recently.

Luckily I managed to find a pair of panduro, a pair of cacatuoides and a beautiful pair of bitaeniata within a reasonable distance of me.

I'm particularly enjoying the bitaeniata right now, they are showing all the signs of being ready to breed.

 

[MammaBearinTN]

They are pretty easy to breed if your water parameters are correct for them. Keep the water as soft as you can, ph on the slightly acidic side, temp about 25c/77f and you shouldn't have much of an issue as long as there are plenty of hiding spaces and plants.

I can't speak to their popularity in America, but their popularity has nose dived in the UK for sure. I remember about a decade ago seeing them for sale quite readily, but I really had to search for them when I wanted more recently.

Luckily I managed to find a pair of panduro, a pair of cacatuoides and a beautiful pair of bitaeniata within a reasonable distance of me.

I'm particularly enjoying the bitaeniata right now, they are showing all the signs of being ready to breed.

Do you have any idea why they are less popular now? It's a shame, because it seems like such an interesting fish.

 

[Wills]

In the US if you are open to mailing fish you should check out Cichlids of the Americas or Tangled up in Cichlids both legendary outlets. I've had some fish from Cichlids of the Americas before in the UK people go in on big import orders with one or two people organising it to meet the minimum spend.

In terms of why Apistos are hard to find, I think in the big box stores its because they are problematic, they are capable of killing each other pretty easily and they are labeled with a very broad cichlid brush that puts a lot of people off, most of the time these kind of stores would rather stock hundreds of neon tetras and livebearers that will sell out in a couple of days, cichlids can sit in stores for a few weeks. I also think that American cichlids in general are much less popular now than they were a few years ago. I imagine it will come back around with time but right now I think the big trends are aquascaping and nano fish both of which cichlids will invariably destroy lol.

Maybe try and find some non big box stores? I sometimes just like to find an area near me on google maps and type in tropical fish and see what comes up. I've found quite a stores just by doing that, you never know when someone might start a new business near by. I know in the UK fish shops can appear anywhere, industrial estates, farms, garden centres, housing estates etc. And its always fun to take a trip to a new store, you might not always find good fish but theres always a chance of some good drift wood or plants etc?

Wills

 

[MammaBearinTN]

I have tried 3 local, privately owned fish stores to no avail, but I've been wanting to take some day trips to two nearby cities (both two hours away), so I think I'll call some of them. I did call one popular store in Nashville, but the person I spoke to said that they can't get apistos from their suppliers, so they only get them if someone local breeds them.

I guess we can't have everything we want.

 

[Wills]

As long as its a big enough store and I'm excited about it I've driven nearly 3 hours before lol. Very special shop in the UK called Pier Aquatics.

My regular store is 1.5hr from me and its worth it every time Just make a day of it, see if theres anything else near by or on the way that helps justify it to significant others

Wills

 

[anewbie]

Are they hard to breed - depends on the species - there are over 100 species all with different requirements. Be aware the some are harem breeders and others M:F only. As to where to buy mail order: wetspot is good; aquaticclarity; random sellers on ebay (bit of a crap shoot). Last i've check tangle they didn't carry them. In nashville there is only one store that will have them occasionally and that is if a local breeder (not me) drops them off. I'd say once or twice a year. With nashville water you can breed cockatoo and borelli without too much tinkering; hongsloi will require slightly softer water and it wouldn't hurt to lower the ph just a touch - nashville has gh 7 kh 3 ph 7.1 water....

 

[kribensis12]

Being in the U.S. I think your best chance for online ordering is Aquabid.com

I have used it to purchase A. Cacatouides (profile pic) and was very pleased. The seller I used was Flm96.

 

[anewbie]

Being in the U.S. I think your best chance for online ordering is Aquabid.com

I have used it to purchase A. Cacatouides (profile pic) and was very pleased.

One thing that must be kept in mind when dealing with places like ebay and aquabid is success is to a degree measured by the seller. When you mention a place such as aquabid you really should mention a specific seller.

 

[kribensis12]

One thing that must be kept in mind when dealing with places like ebay and aquabid is success is to a degree measured by the seller. When you mention a place such as aquabid you really should mention a specific seller.

Good point. Amended the post now!