# My 210g Heavily Planted South American Cichlid Tank



## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

I moved up to Aurora a few months ago and I wasn't about to let my big tank get left behind. Here it is with a new aquascape. All hardscape is achieved via driftwood piles. Compared to my last scape this one used little to no piles of gravel held back with rocks to achieve a sloping looking. This one is a paradise for fish that want covered hideaways to lay eggs in. Perfect for my favourite genus, Apistogramma. 

Shown here are the left, center, and right side of the tank as well as 4 of my A. cacatuoides juvies that were born in this tank. As I was reluctant to try and move them out I just let them be and because of all the hiding places there were survivors from each of my adult pair's broods. I have seen other small ones pop out now and then but these are the biggest and they aren't shy.


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## KhuliLoachFan (Mar 8, 2008)

Beautiful juvie apistos. I want a tank just like that!

W


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## DaFishMan (Dec 19, 2006)

Awesome tank ! Love the driftwood piles too and the way the plants are all over them. Good use of crypts, even tho they're asian, sa dwarf cichlids love hiding in them and weaving in and out of the leaves. Your fish are happy campers for sure 

May I ask what you're using for substrate ?


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## Byronicle (Apr 18, 2009)

are those peacock gudgeons i see??


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## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

DaFishMan said:


> Awesome tank ! Love the driftwood piles too and the way the plants are all over them. Good use of crypts, even tho they're asian, sa dwarf cichlids love hiding in them and weaving in and out of the leaves. Your fish are happy campers for sure
> 
> May I ask what you're using for substrate ?


I wasn't trying to stick too hard to the SA theme. I just needed some way of categorizing the inhabitants 

The substrate is a mix of Canadian shield granite I collected and Eco-Complete.


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## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

Byronicle said:


> are those peacock gudgeons i see??


They are indeed. Menagerie had a bunch of them one time I was in and I couldn't help it. So much interesting coloration in such a small fish.


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## JamesG (Feb 27, 2007)

This female is also a very prominent member of my apisto tank. Only problem is I have since forgotten what species she is. I think she may be an agassizi but I am not sure. I also suspect she has free swimming fry currently as I saw something dark away from view near the den area she defends on the left side of the tank. 

Any thoughts guys?


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## DaFishMan (Dec 19, 2006)

Yup, that's an aggie 

How come you get all the luck anyway ? ROFL.

My 40g planted, I couldn't go with strictly SA either, I'm crypt and moss addicted.


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## wtac (Mar 17, 2006)

Great looking set up  Love the Madigascar Lace plant


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## characinfan (Dec 24, 2008)

Very nice setup. I wish I could grow plants like that in my tank (but my fish eat them). 

C.


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